Where Kids and Teens Talk Travel

Big Ben, London

Editor’s note: We think that, perhaps, 17 is one of the more perfect ages at which to visit London.  Through history, movies, and novels, a 17 year old has a very complete picture of London — and as Jabberbabywokky shows, London does not disappoint.

Name:  Jabberbabywokky
Age:  17
Place:  London, England

Last month, I went to London with my mom and dad. Initially, I had a picture in my head of quaint pubs, cute taxis, fun accents, and the like.

London did not disappoint! As soon as I stepped off the train into St. Pancras station, I was in heaven. Milling about were all sorts of people from every culture you can imagine.  The taxi drivers spoke in an accent so thick it was almost like another language, and there were many of the “cliche” London taxis, just like the ones you see in the movies.

I found the people to be really friendly, for the most part, and the city was clean and exciting. I saw a show (Billy Elliot; I highly recommend it) and was blown away by the spectacular performance.

Buckingham Palace loomed over me as I snapped pictures and skipped around from the thrill. Big Ben sat tall and grand over the River Thames, just as I had seen in all the pictures and movies. London is truly one of the most magical cities in the world, and it certainly did not fail to satiate my hunger for adventure and beauty.

Photos from Jabberbabywokky’s own collection

A Royal Guard

The sand dunes at Silver Lake Dunes, Michigan

Editor’s note:  Those of us who live on America’s coasts keep hearing rumors about the wonderful outdoor vacation opportunities in Michigan. Here, sswimmer’s post shows there’s definitely truth to those tales.

Name: sswimmer
Age: 12
Place: Silver Lake, Michigan

I went to Silver Lake in Michigan to visit my cousins who live on the lake. There is so much to do out there and I had such a great time. My cousins own a speed boat and a water trampoline so we spent all day in the water, tubing, water-skiing, wake-boarding, and jumping on the trampoline. It doesn’t get dark there until 9 or 10 at night so we stayed up late and slept in. A wonderful vacation for any kid who loves to stay up late and play in the water all day!

Hanging around in the St. Louis City Museum

Editor’s note:  This sound like a great rainy day activity or, come to think of it, a great any day activity.

By:  JK
Age:  8
Place:  City Museum, St. Louis, Missouri

The City Museum has a lot of fun things to do for anyone.  Made with many recycled materials and an old shoe factory, it is a place for very energetic kids.  The city turned one of the old shoe chutes into a ten story slide.  Anyone under the height of 48” can ride a mini train.  For daring kids, there are tunnels made out of sturdy wire that go three or four stories up with nothing but the ground floor beneath them.

Photo courtesy of the author’s collection.

Sunset, La Herradura, Spain

Editor’s note:  This small, minimally developed cove in Spain sounds so relaxing.  We’re dreaming about the blue waters and delicious food.

Name:  Portugirl
Age:  11
Place:  La Herradura, Andalusia, Spain

This summer I went to La Herradura, Spain.  Not only is it a really fun place, it is so beautiful. I think the ocean is the best part!

Where I stayed I could walk down the street and, voila, you are practically in the water! I have to admit, the water is not as warm as I would like it to be but the waves are great to jump into.

I also love their paella.  Every Sunday you could walk to the end of the beach, where they would be cooking paella in a giant pan. Then they would take a scoop and plop it into a card board box and you cold eat it anywhere.

Photo by Antonio Garcia

The Colosseum at night

Editor’s note: For a long time, Rome has been called “The Eternal City.”  It’s no surprise, then, that there’s something appealing therefore for every age.

Name:  LK
Age:  12
Place:  Rome, Italy

This summer, I stayed in Italy for four days as part of a larger trip we made in the Mediterranean region.  One of the best parts of that trip was Rome.

I enjoyed myself so much when we stayed there. Everywhere you go there are places to see. If you walk in this direction you get to the Colosseum, which is 1,900 years old,  and in the opposite direction you arrive at the Pantheon, which is about 1,800 years old.

There are so many amazing buildings with fascinating histories, not to mention that the gelato in Rome is like nothing you’ve ever tasted! When we continued our trip, I was quite sad to have to leave Italy. I am going to miss the gelato….

(Photos courtesy of the author.)

The presentation when you walk into a Roman gelateria

Pike's Peak, Colorado

Editor’s note:  There’s nothing like a good story — for example, the peculiar way in which a place got its name — to add interest to an already enjoyable location.

Name:  BK
Age: 10
Place: Pike’s Peak, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The trip was amazing! It was warm at the bottom but very cold at the top and the view was amazing! Our trip was lots of fun!!!

Many hikers argued that they should name the mountain after themselves. The government named it after Zebulon Pike who didn’t even make it up to the top of the mountain!

You can get up the mountain 3 ways: hiking the trail, driving up on the road or taking the Cog Railway. There is also a gift shop at the top. You should visit Pike’s Peak sometime. It’s great!

Photo by Hogs555

Playing in the waves at Rodeo Beach

Editor’s note:  A new dog and three children make for a great day at the Beach.

By:  GabeG (age 11), ZackG (age 9) and MadyG (age 7)
Place:  Rodeo Beach, Sausalito, California

MadyG:  ”We got a new dog named Dutchie this summer. His is part Maltise part Yorkshire Terrier. I have a lot of fun with him. We have brought him to the beach once. I love to play tug of war with him. I also like it when my friends come over and play with me and him. I am very happy he is a part of our family now.”

ZackG:  ”This summer we got a new dog.  His name is Dutchie. He is half Yorkshire Terrier and half Maltese, also known as a Morkie. We love to play with him.  When we play with him we are outside a lot either on a walk, or at the beach, and a lot of the time just around the house. He likes to chase us and likes to be chased. I love having Dutchie as part of our family.”

GabeG:  ”A fun thing that I did this summer was going to Rodeo Beach. When my family and I got there we unpacked our things and went to find a spot on the beach. After we found a spot and unpacked we had some lunch. We played a little catch before taking our dog Dutchie for a walk down the coastline. We played there for a little bit. We climbed up rocks and went into the water. When we got back to our spot on the beach we packed up and went home. Overall I had a really fun time at Rodeo Beach with my family!!”

Photos courtesy of the authors’ private collection.

Hanging with Dutchie at Rodeo Beach

Mountain Camp is surrounded by the El Dorado National Forest

Editor’s Note:  A child’s view of  an overnight camp and the fun she had with her camp mates. If you ever doubt, your kids like camp….

By: EC
Age: 11
Place: El Dorado National Forest, Lake Tahoe

This summer, I did a lot of really cool things, but my favorite was Mountain Camp. I went to a one-week sleep-away camp, where I tried so many things that I have never done before. The camp is right near a lake, so everyday, I did a really fun water activity. I loved everyone in my cabin, too, because we all did things together. We tried to bond, and get to know each other, which I think really helped. By the second day of camp, we were all best friends. One thing that I really like about camp was that the days by themselves seemed sooo long because I did so many different activities in one day, but the week altogether flew by. I hope to go back to camp next year because I really enjoyed it.

Kayaking on Clear Lake, California

Editor’s note:  As part of a family trilogy about a lovely stay in Clear Lake, California, we get the girl’s perspective.  Sounds as if she had as much fun as her brothers did.

Name:  MadyG
Age:  7
Place:  Clear Lake, Lake County, California

This summer we went to Clear Lake. We stayed in this really nice house. The house had a huge basket of candy. My brother and I both slept downstairs on futons. There was a hot tub and we got to go in it. We went on a patio boat and went tubing. The next day we went Kayaking and also went for rides around the lake on a waverunner with my Dad. It was awesome — this was the best summer ever.

Photo from the author’s own collection

Clear Lake, California

Editor’s note:  One family, one trip to Clear Lake, California, but some very interesting different perspectives from one brother (or sister) to the next.  It sounds like a fun and relaxing family trip to a beautiful destination.

Name:  GabeG
Age:  11
Place:  Clear Lake, Lake County, California

During our trip to Clear Lake we did many fun things. In the car ride up, I took in the great and beautiful view on the way there. When we got there, my siblings and I explored our new and temporary home. After that my family and I had grilled burgers and It’s-It ice cream sandwiches for dessert. After dessert we went into the hot tub and then we hit the sack.

The next morning my brother and sister and I watched TV for a bit and ate our usual breakfast of cereal and toast. Later in the day we rented a patio boat. We drove out and took her for a little spin before stopping and having lunch out on the water.

Soon lunch was over and I was out on a tube being pulled by the boat. I was lucky to have four turns that day on the tube!! Then we headed back into port. When we got home we made a quick run down to the clubhouse and went for a late afternoon swim to cool off. After our swim we jumped in the hot tub while my dad grilled some steaks. After dinner we switched beds and went to sleep.

The next morning we watched some TV and had waffles for breakfast. We took a dip in the hot tub and then went kayaking out on the lake. Later in the day we took turns going for a ride on a wave runner with my Dad. We went back to the house and packed and then made the drive back to our real home.

This was one of the best things I did this summer!!

Picture by CFang

Kayaking on Clear Lake

Editor’s note: Where there’s water, there’s fun.  The great thing here, is that you can view this trip from the perspective a nine year old (see below) and his 11 year old brother and 7 year old sister.

Name:  ZachG
Age:  9
Place:  Clear Lake, Lake County, California

This summer I went to Clear Lake with my family. The first day we got there at 7:30pm and we had burgers for dinner and went in the hot tub. The second day we got a patio boat, and went tubing on the lake and ate lunch on the boat out on the water. The third day we went out on the lake on a wave runner. We had so much fun on the lake.

Photo from the author’s own collection.

Mt. Snaefell

Editor’s note:  We never really thought about the Isle of Man before but, having read this, we suddenly want to go there.  It sounds like a place both exotic and easy to visit.

Name:  tiblob
Age:  13
Place:  Isle of Man, United Kingdom

This year I went to the Isle of Man for holiday, I assume most of you don’t know what the Isle of Man is.  That’s because it’s so small they don’t even have it on maps. The island is about the size of a pin point if you were to look at it on a map. But this country has a pretty cool history as it started out as a Viking colony. This history is not what really gets me excited about this trip.

The Isle of Man has a surprising number of activities and sites to visit for an island so small it takes only thirty minutes to get from one side to the other . . . the long way. They have horse drawn carriages, castles on the beach, and fairy grottos! One of the things I did when I visited was climb up Mt. Snaefell. This is the highest point on the island and on a sunny day you can see England and Ireland and the ocean on every side.

At the bottom of Snaefell was the what used to be the biggest wheel in the world, Laxey Wheel.  Then they built the London Eye and it was all over. Now it is the biggest water wheel in the world. There are many other places on the Isle of Man that I visited but those two were my favorite places on the whole island. This is a place I would recommend visiting.

Editor’s note: The basketball camp that Duke University hosts sounds like a great introduction to the sport and to the campus.

The chapel at Duke is the heart of the campus

Name:  MD
Age:  15
Place:  Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

This summer, I spent two weeks in the grand college of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.  I attended Duke Basketball Camp, where there were about 5,000 boys from all over.  There were even some boys who came there from Brazil.  I was paired up with kids from the East Coast, and we went undefeated.  I had a great time.  After that, I flew down to Atlanta, Georgia, to visit my uncle’s farm, but my stay in “Hot-Lanta” is another story.

Maui sunset

Editor’s note:  Anyone with an eye for beauty is going to appreciate time spent on the lovely Hawaiian Island of Maui.

Name:  SV
Age:  13
Place:  Maui, Hawaii

The rush of cold water, swimming up for air.  The warmth of the sun, the realization that you are in a whole new world.  Over the summer, I was lucky enough to be able to go to the pristine island of Maui, which is a paradise by every standard.  The water was crystal clear and filled with things to explore.  The sunset is an unreal experience, watching clouds that are all different colors.  Maui is a land like no other and anybody of any age would love it.

Photo credit:  Editor’s private collection

Editor’s Note:  Grown-ups sit on the beach.  Twelve year old boys, however, have a great time catching air on the lake itself.  We’ve spent many of our own happy childhood years at the lake, so we can agree 100% with this review.

Extraordinary fun on Lake Tahoe

Name:  BP
Age:  12
Place:  Lake Tahoe, California

This summer, my family went to Tahoe.  I have to say, it was one of my favorite vacations.

There was only one bad part:  the water was freezing.  Apart from that, the rest was great.  We went swimming at the beach, jumped off giant rocks, and even went inner tubing at the lake.

My brother was on the inner tube and practically flipped after getting six feet of air — and he still hung on!  I can only hope we can go again next year.

Photo by M. Mosimann

Splash Mountain, Disneyland

Editor’s Note: This post is written by a 13 year old girl who visits Los Angeles, CA every year.  Here are highlights from her most recent trip.

Name: KimmyB.
Age: 13
Place: Los Angeles, California

This summer I went to Los Angeles. I go there every summer. While I was there, I went to Disneyland with my cousins. It was so much fun. At Disneyland, my favorite rides are Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain because they are both thrilling and exciting. If you go to Disneyland you should definitely check out those rides. Next, I went to Newport Beach and stayed at a really old, run-down beach house with holes in the ceiling. I spent my days there swimming in the ocean and suntanning. Overall, I had an amazing time in Los Angeles and I can’t wait to go back next summer.

Image courtesy of: Disneyworld Secrets

Tower of London, A place to fear

Editor’s Note: Same tour as the teen’s posted yesterday, but a very different take.

Name: DJH
Age: 12
Place: Tower of London, London, England

The Tower of London is a very old castle. It was built by William the Conqueror, who came over to England In 1066.

The Tower was an impeccable fortress, because all of the defenses made it so it was impossible to raid at the time. This changed when people invented cannons, and then it was mostly useless.

There were a lot of prisoners held there, and a lot of them had their heads cut off. One prisoner had a bad experience. Because people hated him so much, they got the worst executioner to kill him. The executioner, instead of chopping off his head, hit him in the shoulder and then hit him in the back eight times.

It was an amazing place to go and I recommend it to boys and girls of any age.

The Thames at Night

Editor’s Note:  Tips on guided walking tours of London from a teen (hint, the pub tour is kid-friendly!)

Name: EllaH
Age: 14
Activity: London Walks
Place: London, England

From the time that we arrived in London, we have been going on tours led by the guides from London Walks. London Walks is a tour company that has different guides for all of the unique things about the city. There are many different tours that you can go on. Each one is about 2 hours. They are all led by excellent guides who know what they are talking about.

One of the tours that my family and I went on was the Mayfair walk, guided by Richard the Third. (There are three other Richards working for the company, so they had to give them nicknames to tell them apart). The walk was a guided tour through the streets of Mayfair, a prestigious few blocks of road in the middle of the city. The tour gave the background if Mayfair, who lived in the houses, and some of the history of then kings and queens of England. Overall, it was a very interesting tour that taught me a lot about Mayfair and London.

The next tour that we went on was the Thames pub walk. This was guided by Kate, a vivacious young woman who really brought the tour alive. On this walk, the guide takes you to three different pubs along the Thames, telling you interesting stories and a bit of history along the way. Since it is a pub walk, it seems only appropriate that the adults get to go inside the pubs and get a little drink at each one. Just so that the parents don’t worry: this walk is appropriate for children.

I would recommend these tours for children of all ages, because there are different tours that accommodate all ahem l interests. Overall, the tours that we went in were an excellent experience that taught us about the history of London in a new and interesting way.

Crown Jewels in the Tower of London

Editor’s Note:  EllaH  gives her frank opinion on  a few of London’s well-known tourist attractions.

Name:  EllaH
Age:  14
Place:   London, England

London is a very diverse place. When I first got here, I was surprised at how many different languages were spoken and how many different races are gathered in one place.

The first thing that we did when we came to London was go to Harrods.  Harrods is a huge department store where everything is very expensive. When we went there, it was almost lunch time, so we were all very hungry. We went to the food court and saw a huge array of different foods from all over the world.  There was also a big dessert bar that had all sorts of different sweets.

We bought really expensive food and walked to Hyde Park to enjoy our lunch. I bought an American sort of lunch and when I tried it, I was very disappointed with how it tasted.  Although the rest  of my family order that were not so American, they were also disappointed with their food.

But Harrods is not only about the food. In fact, Harrods has one of the biggest collections of clothes in one department store.  The clothes were all very fancy, as well as super expensive. It’s one of those stores where if you don’t have enough money to buy the clothes, it’s look, but don’t touch.

Even though I couldn’t buy anything, I still enjoyed looking.

The next day, my family and I took a tour of the Tower of London. It’s a medieval palace, built by William the Conqueror. There are many levels of the palace, because each king added his own defense mechanisms.

The tour that we went on was part of an organization called London Walks. It was one person leading a group of about 20 or so people around and inside the Tower of London.

One thing that made this experience unforgettable was that we saw the crown jewels. The jewels are in a vault with a lot of sophisticated security.

The jewels are amazing, with one of the stones dating back to before 1066. The crown jewels consist of all of the royal regalia. Queen Victoria’s diamond crown is in there, as well as the scepter, which has the largest diamond in the world.

We also saw the torture room. This is a good room for boys of all ages. The room has replicas of some tools used for torture, including the rack and the compressor. It was a very detailed and interesting room.

In Beauchamp’s Tower, we saw the graffitis of prisoners in the Tower of London. The graffiti dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries. The walks are covered with carvings of family coats of arms, Bible verses, and anything else that the prisoner wanted to draw.

The Tower of London is an amazing experience, not only because of the history, but because of the adventure of being where kings and queens walked centuries ago.

Photo courtesy of: Googlish on Flickr

Cinder Cone Trail in Mt. Lassen

Editor’s Note: Connor J. is an 11 year old boy who lives in the bay area and loves the outdoors.

Name: Connor J.
Age: 11
Place: Mt. Lassen, California

I recommend the cinder cone hike near Butte Lake. I loved trying to sprint up the side of it and running down the trail. It was so cool looking at Mt. Lassen and Mt. Shasta from the top of the cone and at the same time looking down into the center of the cinder cone. We climbed down into the center of the cone and it felt freaky, somehow it felt like it was going to erupt, even though I knew it wouldn’t. We had a snowball in the middle of the cone–even though it was 85 degrees outside.

I liked the Manzanita Lake Cabins. They have four beds and you can build a campfire right outside and make s’mores every night. The lake is right by the cabins and you can kayak on the lake–we saw a muskrat.

We walked through the Subway cave, it was ok, bring a coat, it is cold inside. I liked the nearby vista point overlooking Hat Creek Valley and the nearby mountain peaks. They had telescopes you can use and you don’t have to put any money in them, they work 24/7.

I think almost anyone would love Mt. Lassen. We went on the fourth of July and it wasn’t even crowded. I like it as much as Yosemite.

Manzanita Lake Cabins

Editor’s Note:  AC, age 13 recently took a vacation to Hawaii. Her favorite excursion was a helicopter tour.

Name: AC
Age: 13
Place: Big Island, Hawaii

I took a helicopter tour on the Big Island and it was really cool. Few people know that when the earthquake happened in Japan a few months ago, it triggered one in Hawaii. During my helicopter ride, we saw the lava bubbling, we saw a town covered by lava but you could still see a few roads and houses from the air. One house remains standing and someone lives there. The only way he can get groceries is from a helicopter. I highly recommend a helicopter ride.

Editor’s note: EllaH, 13, has traveled a lot, but I don’t think there’s any restaurant she likes more than Yank Sing.

Where: San Francisco
What: Yank Sing Dim Restaurant

All my life I have been going to Yank Sing, a wonderful Chinese restaurant located in San francisco, California. The other name for Yank Sing is Dim Sum. Dim Sum means “little bites” in Chinese, so the restaurant is aptly named. At Yank Sing, waiters and waitresses come around with carts of the most amazing chinese food i have ever tasted. For the meat lovers, they have dishes ranging from duck to pork in a delectable bun. For the vegetarians, they are multiple salad and vegetable dishes. For the seafood lovers, there are an array of different delicacies, most with shrimp. My personal favorites are: the steamed pork bun, shrimp dumplings, shanghai dumplings, and for dessert, sesame balls. Read More »

Editor’s note: EllaH had just turned 13 when she went to Alaska. Both the state and the cruise ship impressed her. She has gone on several more cruises since then.

Where:  Alaska
How: Holland America Cruise

Last summer, my family and I went on the Holland-America cruise to Alaska. It was a 14 day cruise, which we started in Seattle and ended in Seattle. My family and I left a day early for the cruise so that (1) we could explore Seattle, and (2) if our flight was delayed we knew that we would still make our cruise ship. Just a piece of advice: if you board your cruise ship in a port that is new, you should get to the place a day early so that you can go exploring. It makes the trip just that much better.

When we finally boarded the ship, my brother and I instantly ran off to go exploring. Our ship was Holland-America’s Amsterdam, a medium-sized luxury cruise ship. The cruise ship has everything: from bars and lounges for the adults, to kid and teen hangouts, as well as two swimming pools and hot tubs. My brother and I immediately made friends, so the cruise ship days were filled with lots of fun experiences.

The food on the Amsterdam is delicious.  You can get it from a buffet, where you serve yourself; from several restaurants, where they serve you; or get room service.  There’s also a dessert bar open from early in the morning ’til late at night, which serves ice cream and other scrumptious delights.  Overall, I would rate the food on Holland-America a 10.

We were at sea two days before reaching our first port in Alaska. After that, almost every day was a different port, and because of that, everyday was a new adventure. For example, in Ketchikan, one of the ports that we went to, the cruise ship offered a terrific excursion on the water: riding in the Deadliest Catch boat, and meeting the stars of the show. It was an AMAZING adventure, and one that I would definitely do again.

In Juneau, my family and I went on a hike to the Mendenhall Glacier. This trip was also organized by the cruise ship. The good thing about going on the cruise ship’s own excursions is that the cruise ship will never leave without you. The hike around the glacier was amazing. Not only did we get to see a gorgeous glacier, we also got to see a lot of the beautiful nature that surrounds Alaska. Our tour guide told us the names of plants and where they originated from, and she also told us lots of funny stories from previous tour groups. As we were walking back to the buses at the end of tour, we were lucky enough to see a mama bear and her cubs ambling along side the road. That was a day that I’ll never forget!

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

Around the middle of the trip, the cruise ship took us to the Hubbard Glacier for a day. Some background on the glacier: it is one of the only glaciers that you can get to from a cruise ship, and it is constantly calving. That day, I must have seen ice fall off the glacier around 20 times, each time leaving me speechless. Not only did I get to see the glacier, but I got to see a lot of wildlife. If you’re lucky, you can see whales and seals, as well as many other creatures.

Even before the cruise was over, I was begging my family to plan another. It was one of the best vacations our family has had, and since then we have gone on 3 more cruises. If you don’t like the hassle of traveling, then cruising with Holland-America is the perfect way to go. So what are you waiting for? Go schedule a cruise on Holland-America, and prepare yourself for one of the greatest adventure of your life

Cool off in Central Park

Editor’s Note:  KJ was ten years old when she visited New York City. These are two of her favorite memories from a week- long summer trip.

Where: New York City, New York

NY is a fun-packed the city.

All along the Times Square area, fun shops (and people) line the streets. You can shop in stores that give different assortments of popcorn (and you can choose your own topping flavors), and then go into shops showing all the latest brands and style.  I enjoyed walking around peeking into shops I would never see in the area that I am from.

In New York there is the famous and enormous Central Park. There is not only a fun play area, but there are water parks in the summer. These water parks have small areas where water shoots out of the ground with the click of a button. All along the  play structure  area are water guns  that give you a chance to spray siblings and friends. Tunnels lead you away and to and from  the play structure. After a long day of walking on a hot sidewalk in an even hotter city,  New York has figured out the way to keep you cool and entertained (for free)!

We recommend this site for more information about Central Park.

Photo courtesy of: The Official site for Central Park.

Check out the awe inspiring waterfalls in Yellowstone

Editor’s Note: Connor J., now 11, still has vivid memories of a trip he took to Yellowstone National Park when he was 8 years old when he took this trip. Here are his suggestions for other kids taking the same trip:

Where: Yellowstone National Park

Wake up early in the morning and stay up late at night to see the animals. You will see bears, elk, coyotes, deer, bison and mosquitos.

The rangers host talks at night about the animals in Yellowstone. They each get to pick one topic.  They tell the stories with puppets, songs and slideshows.

The hike around Yellowstone Grand Canyon and the hike to the edge of the waterfall are good hikes. It is fun to count the stairs down to the waterfall.

If you go to Jackson, Wyoming (near Yellowstone) the show in the middle of town is fun. It has a fake gunfight.

Good times for kids include a bear sighting

Editor’s Note:  DJH, an 11 year old boy, wrote this note and, clearly,  loved every minute of his trip.

Where:  Alaska
How:  Holland America Cruise

Holland America’s Amsterdam is a cruise ship with the nicest service. The people who served us in the restaurant were able to become friends with us. They knew what we wanted whenever we came in, which was really great.

The cruise was the best vacation I’ve ever had. The ship has a kids’ place. It also has ping pong tables and lots of areas where kids can become friends with each other.

The food was very good. They have lots of varieties, and I made sure that for breakfast I always had an Eggs Benedict. There are endless amounts of food. There are about 2,000 passengers and there’s more food than all of them can eat.

Alaska was a very beautiful place. When we were there we saw a bear. We also saw bear cubs. We saw millions of salmon because they were all migrating upstream. We saw a lot of eagles.

I’d like to recommend this trip to anybody, and I’d say this is the best trip I’ve ever been on.

Bay and beach beckon in San Diego

Editor’s Note: KJ, a 12 year old girl, loved the water and outdoor activities in San Diego. I thought it was interesting that she did not talk about the world famous San Diego Zoo!

Where: San Diego
Hotel:  Catamaran Resort

Sun, sand, and a beautiful bay — that is San Diego. With a calm bay sparkling in the sun on one side of the area where  I stayed  and a crashing ocean on the other,  this trip was anything but boring.  Along the beach, teenagers skateboard and, if the weather is good, girls strut around in bikinis. Along this scenic walkway, small shops line up, making one of the coolest and most beautiful shopping areas around. You can bike along the bay — on a beach cruiser — and go on a short ride around the sparkling water. If the weather permits, you can stop along the ride and get a nice cool treat.

This trip was tons of fun and if you are considering going I recommend that you rent two things: A Fun Cat, and a paddle board from the Catamaran Resort. Both of these water toys give plenty of fun. The Fun Cat, is not able to go too fast, but it is something that you can jump off of and swim back to (as long as someone stays on board.) The paddle board is calm and requires a little more thinking. As long as you can swim, I recommend all of these things, as something to do if you can.

Image courtesy of the Catamaran Resort.