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Stefanie Van Aken

~ RSMLVTravel- Luxury Travel Design

Stefanie Van Aken

Tag Archives: museums

Instagram Travel Thursday :: Washington, D.C.

05 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Featured, Travel Inspiration, USA

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Family Travel, Instagram Travel Thursday, museums

For any American who loves travel and history, without a doubt, Washington, D.C. should rank high on your Travel Bucket list. I have had the opportunity to visit the Capitol several times, during different seasons. Fall is definitely one of my most favorite, though spring does bring the cherry blossoms which is also a site to see. My husband and I have had the wonderful pleasure of taking our two older children with us to visit Washington, D.C. the last three years in a row. Each year with them gets better and better, as they get older and appreciate and understand what is happening around them.

Wshington DC Instagram Travel Thursday

If planning a trip to D.C., I would strongly suggest doing some research prior to your visit, along with considering the age of your child(ren) that will be joining you. Our first trip to the Capitol, our kids were 7 and 5. They had never been to a big city where there are big city blocks and expected to walk as much as they did. It was also our first attempt without a stroller for our younger one, and let’s just say, it didn’t go so well. In hindsight, I would have bought a cheap umbrella stroller when we got there to use in between subway stops and museums tours, then left it behind as we boarded the plane. But with the 2nd and 3rd trip, they were kind of OK with the idea that they would have to walk. They had also been to New York City at this point, which also provided more familiarity with big city transportation.

Washington DC with Kids

Another idea is to discuss with your children’s teachers about what they are learning in class about US history and politics. Each year has drawn on some interesting topics. The first time we took them they were learning about the Declaration of Independence and President Lincoln. My son was also obsessed with Natural History Museums, and my daughter the re-elected President, as Obama had just been voted in for a 2nd term and their school did mock elections. That year, we asked them what they wanted to see the most: the White House, the Declaration of Independence and the Lincoln Memorial. We also did a side visit to the Smithsonian Air and Space, Natural History and American History Museum. We did nothing more than that, on the educational side, because we knew if we pushed beyond their interest, the trip would not be a fun one for any of us.

White House Washington, DC

We did add some fun into the mix by putting a Washington Redskins football game on our itinerary, where we had a chance to watch the team warm-up on the field. And, a trip to ICE! at the Gaylord National– a magnificent display of ice carvings and a fun surprise of ice-slides at the end. The Gaylord National is a locals’ destination for the holidays with their popular atrium decorated to the nine’s for Christmas.

DCGaylordNational

Our most recent visit happened in the Fall. It was absolutely gorgeous, and to be honest, none of us had ever seen colors so rich and abundant. It was an exciting experience for all of us! This time around, our children were 9 and 7. We were able to do more in the ways of historical sites. They were both interested in learning more about the Presidents and how the United States formed. We secured a tour of the Capitol building, visited Mount Vernon and took a D.C. by Foot walking tour of the Assassination of President Lincoln.

DC_Historical_Sites

We also did some adult-stuff that we dragged them along to, like brunch at the Four Seasons in Georgetown, lunch at The Willard and mass at the National Cathedral.

WashingtonDC Brunch

As a special treat, we went ice skating on the Potomac in Washington Harbour, and of course, a visit to the American Girl Store at Tyson’s Corner.

DC Kids

Visting Washington, D.C. has been some of my favorite family travel experiences. I can’t wait for when our twins are old enough to take them for a visit to the Nation’s Capitol.

This post is part of the Instagram Travel Thursday series through Skimbaco.com. Enjoy my travels and other fascinating travels from Instagram travel writers from around the world on Instagram using #IGTravelThursday and #RSMLVDC.

DCOliver

Are you following me on Instagram? All photos in this post are via Instagram. 

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An InLinkz Link-up


My Instagram Summer :: San Diego, California

19 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Travel Inspiration, USA

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Family Travel, Instagram Travel Thursday, museums

This summer I rediscovered my love for San Diego. A 6- hour car ride from Las Vegas, Mission Beach is where I spent my summers as a child. After high school, you could find me living ocean front while studying for my classes at the University of San Diego. I left when I was 22, and headed back to Vegas to start the next chapter in my life. It had been over 12 years since I had gone back to enjoy the city. Quick day trips to Sea World or the San Diego Zoo didn’t really count, and when family friends invited us to stay at their gorgeous home on Coronado Island, there was no hesitation in our very enthusiastic, “YES!”.

It’s #IGTravelThursday again, hosted by Skimbaco Lifestyle, and this time, I take you all over America’s Finest City documenting our stay in San Diego, California.

San Diego, California- #RSMLVSanDiego

As I mentioned in my previous post about Carlsbad, California, my older children are used to, and very comfortable with mommy, and sometimes daddy, taking them on special trips. It took a few weeks for them to get used to the idea that our entire family, including the twins, daddy AND the nanny would be there. Our trip to San Diego was my absolute favorite trip of the season. We were graced with the opportunity to stay on Coronado Island. Rich in history, Coronado Island is home to the famous Hotel Del Coronado. Our family took advantage of the pristine beaches, dining and shopping at the hotel. We enjoyed cruising down Orange Ave. to discover other fun spots and local treats. Across the bridge, my husband and I enjoyed the liveliness of Downtown San Diego, eating at the ultra-trendy hot spot, SearSucker. We took the kids on a Behind the Scenes tour at the San Diego Safari Park, where we had the chance to see big cats and other creatures up close and personal. I can’t lie when I say I was a tad bit nervous. That’s how close we were. On a Sunday, we visited my alma mater to see the new developments on campus, and boast to my kids about the college years. And, finally, our favorite spot to visit was Balboa Park, filled with museums and Spanish colonial architecture, we spent all day there and did not come close to exploring the entire park. Definitely something to put back on the list for our next trip to San Diego. My family travel advice: Enjoy the family during your trip, but try to find some time to escape with your Significant Other. Creating intimate times together during the stay helps you relax, converse and re-live the events of the trip.

All photos taken with iPhone 4 and on Instagram. 

San Diego California

IGTravelFTC Pop on over to Skimbaco.com and visit the other fabulous Travel Instagrammers who have inspired me!

Discovery Children’s Museum Las Vegas

18 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Travel Inspiration

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

museums

The brand new Discovery Children’s Museum is a must-see on your next trip to Las Vegas. Re-opened at The Smith Center in Downtown Las Vegas, the Discovery Children’s Museum now has over 23,000 square feet of space and 3-floors full of awesomely cool exhibits that will keep little ones up to the early ‘tween-agers engaged for hours. It will literally take several trips a year to keep up with all the amazing, hands-on and educational fun offered here.

 

Mission Statement of the  Discovery Museum

The mission of Discovery Children’s Museum is to provide a vibrant and engaging experience, through exhibits and programs, where children from economically and cultrally diverse backgrounds actively participate in playful learning experiences that ignite a love of lifelong learning.

The campus of The Smith Center and Symphony Park, where the Discovery Museum is now located, is inspiring in itself. Upon walking through the animated entrance, you are certain the mission statement has been achieved. Take a look at some video of the new Water World, Eco City and Young At Art exhibits.

Water World

Eco City

Young At Art

I was given four passes to explore the museum with my children following my media tour. I brought my 2-year old twins, and they loved it. I couldn’t get them out of there, or keep up with them. So many things for them to see and do.

Discovery Children's Museum Las Vegas

RSMLV Tips:

  • If you are coming with little ones, get there early, and don’t plan on spending more than 2-3 hours there. With so much to do and see, it can be a bit a sensory overload.
  • There is no food or dink inside the museum. There are tables and chairs and some vending machines before the entrance. Bring a sack lunch to enjoy and take a bit of a break. There are not many dining options in the area that are conveniently located.
  • Though the entire museum is available to all ages, the younger ones may lose interest on the third level where the science and art exhibits are located.
  • The Summit is a 70-foot tower full of exciting things  to try. Be sure to know it does not go just up and down. There is an exit on the 2nd level, so keep an eye out!
  • Warning! The first exhibit they may see is Water World, and though there are parkas to keep the little ones dry, my boys were sopping wet when I finally pulled them away. Either sneak pass until the end, or bring a change of clothes.
  • If you are a local family or visit Las Vegas more than 2-3 times a year with your children, consider a membership. It is cost effective, plus offers discounts on parties, merchandise and other stuff.

discovery_childrens_museum

General Hours: 

Tuesday – Friday 9am-4pm

Saturday 10am-5pm

Sunday 12pm-5pm

Closed Monday, except most school holidays.

Summer Hours: June 1-September 3

Monday- Saturday 10am-5pm

Sunday 12pm-5pm

Admission Rates:

$12 per person all ages

Children under 1 are free

Membership Packages are also available.

Isn’t this a remarkable facility? I was asked to tour the Discovery Children’s Museum as a member of the travel media and blogging community. I was also given 4 complimentary passes for my family to explore the new facility. I was not asked, nor expected to write about the Discovery Children’s Museum. I couldn’t help but share with my readers because it is absolutely fabulous.

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