Creepy!!
You can now watch one of the most epic thrillers, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, while floating on a tube in the dark waters of Lake Travis in Austin, TX. Austin’s popular Alamo Drafthouse is reintroducing its Jaws on the Water viewings where the audience floats on inner tubes on the lake while watching the shark cult classic.
I’m not 100% sold on this idea…you?
I’ve traveled to Las Vegas for work more times than I could ever count. Before this year, I’d never thought about taking kids to Sin City, but with family coming to visit from Europe and yearning to visit the west coast, Vegas ended up on the itinerary.
In researching family-friendly hotels in Las Vegas, I found that there were many great options – surprise! There are multi-room accommodations, kid-friendly shows, amazing pool complexes and various activities perfect for the little ones.
We were looking for hotels on the Strip, and found everything from lazy river pools to shark aquariums to giant circus-tents to knights jousting.
Regarding price, there are options ranging from budget-friendly to break-the-bank luxurious, so travelers with any size wallets will find the right property for their families.
Circus Circus
Circus Circus is an iconic Las Vegas hotel has been one of the most family-friendly properties for decades. There is a wide variety of accommodations available from the most basic room to luxury suites to even an RV park. What really attracts families at Circus Circus are the attractions. Adventuredome, a five-acre indoor theme park, offers everything from rides to clown shows to arcade games and will keep kids busy for hours. There is a midway with over 200 games and the popular daily free circus with its daring acts.
Elara, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club Hotel
Elara, a sleek 52-story glass tower offers spacious studios, plus 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom suites and is a member of the Hilton family. The non-gaming hotel is set back a bit from the Strip and offers adjoining access to the Miracle Mile, which has 21 restaurants and bars and 100 retail shops, and is adjacent to the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino complex featuring a renowned casino, nine restaurants and the Mandara Spa. For families, perhaps the best part of staying at Elara is access to kitchenettes in studios and full kitchens and separate living and sleeping spaces in larger units. That means cost savings through breakfast and snacks in the units and adult beverages in the fridge for the parents.
Excalibur Hotel & Casino
It’s hard to miss Excalibur with its center-Strip giant King Arthur themed castle. Accommodations range from standard rooms to 2-bedroom suites, perfect for families. Fun Dungeon, the Excalibur arcade, is a favorite with the kids. The resort has four pools with 30,000 square feet of deck space making it easy to find seating for the whole family. There are also a water slide and 19 well-stocked cabanas with all the essentials to keep cool. The ultimate family dinner adventure awaits at the medieval Tournament of Kings dinner show where guests sit in an arena style theater and watch and cheer on the knights as they battle with sword fights and jousting.
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
Mandalay Bay is a fantastic property for families on so many levels. First, there’s Mandalay Bay Beach, the hotel’s pool area that features a quarter mile lazy river, a gigantic wave pool and a beach area with real sand. Another must-visit attraction is the 1.6 million gallon Shark Reef Aquarium with 15 species of sharks, Piranhas, stingrays eels and many other fish numbering over 2,000 animals. Room types vary from a standard room to multi-bedroom suites and there are dozens of restaurants to choose from for families.
Mirage Las Vegas
The Mirage is perhaps best known for its volcano with waterfalls and palm trees. Kids are fascinated by the volcano show that erupts nightly starting at 8 p.m. complete with a sound effects, 150 fireshooters and a giant eruption finale shooting 60 feet into the air. Children will also enjoy the 20,000-gallon saltwater aquarium and the tropical rainforest atrium that has waterfalls, a lagoon and lush foliage. Another must-attend exhibit at The Mirage is the Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat where guests can explore, learn and play in an enchanting world of bottlenose dolphins, white tigers, white lions and leopards. Accommodations are very wide ranging from standard rooms to three-bedroom villas with their own yards and pools.
Happy travels!
Veronique
Veronique Deblois is a travel industry veteran who’s currently employed by Hilton. The views and contents of this post are my own and in no way in partnership with my employer. I wasn’t compensated for writing about this subject.
San Diego
San Diego, with its nearly perfect weather and tons of family activities, is an ideal place to bring the kids. A must-visit spot is Balboa Park with its renowned San Diego Zoo, miniature train, 14 museums and beautiful gardens – check out the kid-friendly itineraries. TheNAT, San Diego Natural History Museum, offers an Ultimate Dinosaurs exhibit where kids can meet new and exotic dinosaurs and for the first time outside Washington, DC., Photo Ark a multimedia exhibition that showcases National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore’s project documenting the world’s animal species. Visit TheNAT website for info on monthly family days. The New Children’s Museum is filled with various art installations to keep kids and their families entertained for hours. While not the most wallet-friendly activity in San Diego, SeaWorld San Diego with its coasters, rides and sea creature exhibits is a popular option. Know what is affordable? San Diego’s pristine beaches for a day of surf and sand.
Where to stay: Hilton San Diego Bayfront has a toddler pool and kids-only water slide. Embassy Suites San Diego Bay – Downtown modern suites include separate living rooms with pull-out sofas plus free amenities like made-to-order breakfast and evening appetizers and drinks – near kid-friendly activities.
Happy travels!
Veronique
Veronique Deblois is a travel industry veteran who currently works for Hilton. The views and contents on this post are my own and in no way in partnership with my employer.
The Wentworth Mansion, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is a historic hotel in downtown Charleston. Through my social media efforts, I won a three-night stay at this illustrious property and our stay was simply perfect on all levels: luxurious accommodations, gracious hospitality, an award-winning restaurant and exclusive amenities.
Richard Widman purchased The Wentworth Mansion in 1997 and proceeded with an extensive $7 million renovation that preserved and restored historic features including the original staircase, the inlaid floors, and Tiffany glass while adding modern conveniences.
We loved that the property, which had been a private residence, was not in a commercial and bustling part of Charleston, yet, it was just steps from award-winning dining, art, history and shopping.
The property’s grounds are lush with green lawns, century-old trees and flowers. There is a private, complimentary parking lot that was welcoming as street parking is common in the neighborhood. A bell person is available to gather belongings from the car and transport them to guest rooms.
All guests receive a complimentary house-made breakfast and nightly chocolates from the restaurant in the mansion’s original carriage house.
When I hear that my room comes with complimentary breakfast, I am not often excited but at Wentworth Mansion, breakfast is an absolute treat. More on Circa 1886 in a bit.
In proper southern hospitality, the property offers afternoon hors d’oeuvres & wine in the Charleston Parlor. There, we had an opportunity to meet other guests and unwind before heading out for the evening. Upon returning from our evenings out, we were greeted by evening port, sherry and brandy.
The Accommodations
Each of the 21 guest rooms has a unique size, shape and architectural features. The property offers pet-friendly guest rooms for patrons with pets have easy access to the lawn and homemade dog biscuits.
Our room was one of the Mansion Rooms, once the bedrooms of the family that built the Mansion. The elegant guest room is spacious (averaging about 475 square feet) and beautifully appointed with a king-size bed with premium linens, an expansive bathroom with oversized whirlpool tub, a walk-in shower and luxurious bath products and a gas fireplace. There was a sitting area where I enjoyed reading a book and a desk where we could have worked comfortably, but did not. There is nightly turndown service.
Rooms also feature refrigerators with complimentary soft drinks and bottled water, flat screen televisions, DVD players, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards, cozy robes and safety deposit box. Rooms and common areas offer complimentary internet access.
The Food
Tucked away in the gardens behind Wentworth Mansion in the original carriage house, Circa 1886 Chef Marc Collins honors Charleston traditions while creating contemporary cuisine beautifully crafted with the finest, locally-sourced ingredients from the area’s fields, pastures and waters.
The delicious breakfast that comes with stays at Wentworth Mansion features homemade pastries, delectable coffee and local favorite dishes. Service is friendly and polished but not stuffy and the setting is beautifully appointed.
We also enjoyed dinner at Circa 1886. We opted for the five-course Chef’s Tasting Dinner. The typical cost of this $75 dinner is reduced for hotel guests. It is a considerable value for food that is so fabulous.
More about Circa 1886 in an upcoming post.
The Spa
Originally the Mansion’s stables, The Spa provides everything guests needs to rejuvenate and replenish amid 14-foot vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and rustic beauty.
A stay at Wentworth Mansion is an absolute treat and pampering experience and I look forward to returning.
Address: 149 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401.
Happy travels,
Veronique
Washington, D.C.
In Washington, D.C., most of the family-friendly attractions are free making this popular city a bargain for families. Three stops on the National Mall that are must-visit are part of the Smithsonian Institution: the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History. The National Air and Space Museum offers many educational opportunities for children and adults and features thousands of objects on display, including the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia and a lunar rock kids can touch. The National Museum of National History has a compelling display of dinosaur bones and artifacts and also features the wildly-popular Butterfly Pavilion, which is a paid exhibit. At the National Museum of American History, families will be able to view the Star Spangled Banner and visit hands-on kid-friendly exhibits. A short metro ride away is the National Zoo with its more than 2,000 animals and many informative educational classes.
Where to stay: The Embassy Suites Washington DC Convention Center is within walking distance to the Smithsonian museums and White House and has an indoor pool. Hampton Inn Washington, D.C./White House has an indoor pool and offers complimentary breakfast and internet. The District by Hilton Club offers a touch of luxury with family-friendly amenities like free hot breakfast and an indoor pool.
Happy travels!
Veronique
Veronique Deblois is a travel industry veteran who currently works for Hilton. The views and contents on this post are my own and in no way in partnership with my employer.