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Winchester, VA: The Shenandoah Valley's Gateway to Family Fun

11/30/2014

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by Micaela Williamson

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Situated in the northern portion of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, the City of Winchester is a destination for all seasons. Winchester hosts its signature, huge Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in the spring and a festive Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting in December.  But, throughout the year the city is rich in history, shopping, dining and plenty of attractions for the whole family. 

What to see:

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Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
19 W. Cork St.
Winchester, VA 22601


This discovery museum for all children is packed with tons of hands-on exhibits focusing on the arts, science, pretend play, math, engineering, history and more.  The museum also hosts lots of special programs and events for families too. Parents are encouraged to learn, create and explore alongside their children.  Don't miss signature exhibits like creating tracks in Roller Coaster Alley, pretending to be an EMT in the life-sized ambulance, stepping inside a Powhatan home on the Moccasin Trail, getting a bird's eye view of the city from the Observation Deck and much, much more!  

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Patsy Cline Historic House
608 S. Kent Street
Winchester, VA 22601


Country music fans can get a glimpse into the life of one of Winchester's most famous residents, Patsy Cline.  From April- October, 45 minute guided tours are offered for a small fee. There is also a gift shop on site with unique Patsy Cline memorabilia. 


Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
901 Amherst Street
Winchester, VA 22601


A great museum with a fantastic art collection, the interesting Glen Burnie Historic House, and breathtaking gardens. Kids will marvel at the R. Lee Taylor Miniatures Collection, and history buffs can learn about the Shenandoah Valley region's rich past through artifacts, artwork and documents. 


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Family Drive-In Theatre
5890 Valley Pike (US Rt. 11-South)
Stephens City, VA 22655 

This is the closest drive-in theatre to the Washington DC region and shows a variety of nostalgic films, cult classics and many popular new releases. It is open most of the year,  has many special events and is a great place for old-fashioned family fun!



Winchester-Fredrick Historical Society Museums

Check out Winchester's important contributions to our nations' history at one of the five museums maintained by the Winchester-Fredrick Historical Society: Abram's Delight, George Washington's Office, Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters, an 18th Century Valley Cabin and the Hollingsworth Mill. Those visiting may purchase a block ticket for admission to Abram's Delight, Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters or George Washington's Office.  The 18th Century Valley Cabin is included with Abram's Delight and admission to Hollingsworth Mill is free. 
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Where to eat and shop:

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The downtown mall or Loudoun Street Mall in Old Town Winchester is packed with many great restaurants and shops.  Its an attraction within itself.  No matter what your taste is, there is cuisine for everyone.  


Where to stay:

The George Washington Hotel
103 East Piccadilly Street
Winchester, VA 

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This is hands-down the best place to stay in Old Town Winchester. Is location is walking distance to the downtown area pedestrian mall and many attractions. Plus, the luscious, Roman spa-like indoor pool is a favorite for families. On-site dining includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Dancing Goat restaurant and if you can slip away, the cocktail menu at the gorgeous Half Note Lounge is to die for!  Choose between standard king and queen rooms or posh suites for an unforgettable stay. 


For more suggestions of family-friendly fun in the Shenandoah Valley Region, check out the Shenandoah Valley Kids Trail.



Disclosure: I was invited on a media trip with the Virginia Tourism Corporation and Shenandoah Valley Kids' Trail and experienced many of these attractions for free. No other compensation was given.  All opinions are my own, and I adore Old Town Winchester as a great place for family fun. 
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Enjoy Hands On Science Fun at the Maryland Science Center

11/25/2014

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By Amy Suski
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If you haven't yet been to the Maryland Science Center, now is a great time to check it out.  As one of the country's top-rated science centers for families, the Science Center has so much for kids to see and even more for them to DO.  Located at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, the Science Center features 14 full-sized dinosaur models, tons of cool science exhibits, the world-famous Davis Planetarium,  a five story IMAX Theater, and plenty of chances for kids to keep their hands busy with interactive science activities.


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Fun Ideas For DC Metro Area Date Nights With Your Children!

11/16/2014

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by Claudine Kurp

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A truly magical thing has happened. 
I recently had an event that I really wanted to attend.  It was a book signing in DC.  Since I had to decided to go at the last minute, I struggled to think of a friend who could get out on Friday night at a moments notice.  Bingo!  I thought of the perfect person!  My 9-year-old daughter would love to go with me.  We have been moving at the speed of light with school, homework and soccer.  I decided that we both needed to be rewarded with a night out! I jumped onto OpenTable and booked a table for two at Cafe Milano.  We made our way into the city, parked up and enjoyed a wonderful meal. 


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B&O Railroad Museum: The Giving Train 2014

11/13/2014

 

by Micaela Williamson

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Trains are magical during the holidays! There is no better place to be a child than at the B&O Railroad Museum! All aboard the B&O’s Magical Holiday Express Community Giving Train, a holiday spectacular celebration in the B&O Roundhouse devoted to trains of all sizes and shapes, holiday festivities, a winter wonderland of family fun and activities and a way to help local charities who help those in need this season. There is something to see and do every day at this event with all new holiday decorations, hands-on crafts and contests, live entertainment, train rides, model train layouts, appearances by Santa, Mrs. Claus, Frosty, and LEGO Man and much more!

Here is a line up of the event that spans 6 special weekends, and we have a giveaway for THREE Family 4 Packs below. 

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B&O’s Magical Holiday Express
The Giving Train
November 22, 2014 –January 4, 2015
Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm / Sunday, 11am-4pm

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To enter our giveaway, please comment with the weekend you would like to attend and why.  3 winners will be chosen on Sunday, November 16th and tickets will be mailed out on Monday, November 17th.  

Busch Gardens Christmas Town: Oh What Fun!

11/10/2014

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by Micaela Williamson

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Credit: Busch Gardens® Williamsburg Media Room
Christmas Town™ at Busch Gardens Williamsburg is one of my family's favorite holiday traditions. The twinkling eight million lights, signature hot chocolate, amazing shows, fun rides and more make for a magical family evening.  Plus, visitors can stop by the North Pole to see Santa and chill with the penguins at the ice palace.  Be sure to take a journey on the sky ride and ride the train around the park to fully view all the breathtaking decorations.  (I am pretty scared of heights but I always make an exception for the Christmas Town sky ride.  The majestic feeling is completely worth it!) 

As a self-proclaimed Christmas Town "veteran," I have two pieces of advice.  The first piece of advice is "go early." Christmas Town opens at 2 PM, and as the evening goes on, the crowds tend to grow.   The second piece of advice is take advantage of the many savings opportunities online, coupons, or my new favorite savings offer below:

Starting on November 12-18, Busch Gardens is offering a 12 Days of Christmas special offer. This $12 single-day Christmas Town ticket represents a $20 savings off the regular $32 one-day ticket price.  The limited-time, online-only sale starts Nov. 12 and runs through Nov. 18.  The Christmas Town $12 single-day ticket is redeemable on any one of the following dates: Nov. 21, 22, 23, 30, Dec. 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22 or 30. 

     “The $12 Christmas Town ticket is the best deal of the Christmas Town season,” said Marketing Vice President Dan Dipiazzo. “Pick one of the 12 days to visit and discover why Christmas Town is the place where Christmas shines brightest.”

     Visit ChristmasTown.com/VA to take advantage of the offer.  Christmas Town opens for the season on Nov. 21 and operates select days through Dec. 31.
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Credit: Busch Gardens® Williamsburg Media Room
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Honoring Our Veterans: A Family Story

11/10/2014

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By Amy Suski

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Like many families, Veteran's Day has special meaning for us.  Members of the family have served in the Army and the Navy and two grandparents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.  One of those grandparents, "W.T." or "Dub" was a young father and Army medic when he went missing in Korea. For decades his wife (an Army nurse) and 2-year old daughter never knew what happened to him.  Then, against all odds just a few years ago the North Korean government returned six sets of human remains during a diplomatic mission by Governor Bill Richardson for the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.  One of those sets had W.T.'s dog tags and was eventually positively identified as W.T. Sixty years after he went missing, W.T. was finally laid to rest at Arlington  -- something no one ever thought would be possible.  Perhaps finding peace in the knowledge that her husband was finally home, W.T.'s widow (our grandmother) passed away just three months later and was buried alongside him.  The pictures here are of her funeral procession at Arlington.  As a Captain in the Army, she was offered her own headstone at Arlington, but had chosen instead to be buried with W.T. under his headstone.

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GIVEAWAY - Discover Gorgeous Holiday Cards From Minted & Enter To Win A $250 Credit!

11/8/2014

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by Claudine Kurp

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I fell madly in love with
Minted.com a few years ago.  After seeing the beautiful designs on Minted and the thick, rich paper stock, I was hooked.  This is my 4th year of full devotion to Minted.com for my holiday cards.  This year I reached out (stalked) to Minted.  The folks at Minted were wonderful and when I  told them that I wanted to do a blog on www.GoKidTrips.com, they offered one lucky reader a $250.00 credit!  What the what!!!  I am so jealous.  In addition to my great love of Minted cards, I also have a serious crush on the new line of Minted artwork.  California Dreaming hangs in my family room and often grabs the attention of my guests.  


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Disney's Beauty and The Beast is coming to the Warner Theatre

11/6/2014

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by Micaela Williamson

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The romantic Broadway musical for all generations, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the smash hit Broadway musical, returns to Washington D.C at the Warner Theatre in early January 2015.  I had the pleasure of seeing this performance a couple of years ago, and it is an incredible Broadway-style production with the award winning songs and plot from the animated Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

NETworks presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast tells the story of the smart Belle, a young woman trapped in a "provincial town," and the bitter Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under a spell. The show features beloved characters from the movie such as the overbearing Gaston, Lumiere the candlestick, Mrs. Potts the teapot and many more.  Don't miss this classic story. 


Tickets are available at http://www.livenation.com/artists/133783/disney-s-beauty-and-the-beast

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Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Warner Theatre
Washington, DC
Jan 6 - 11, 2015
www.warnertheatredc.com



We received complimentary tickets to the show for sharing this information. No other compensation was received. All opinions are our own. 
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In the Footsteps of the Pilgrims: Visiting Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock and the Plimoth Plantation

11/5/2014

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By Amy Suski

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What better way to learn about the history of Thanksgiving than to walk in the footsteps of the Pilgrims? For families, visiting all three sites: the Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock, and Plimoth Plantation can be done in a day and is a wonderful way to bring the traditions of Thanksgiving to life. Although the original Mayflower no longer exists, a highly-accurate full-scale reproduction Mayflower II is moored in Plymouth, Massachusetts and is open to visitors. By walking the decks and exploring the quarters down below, kids will get a good idea of how cramped and difficult the 1620 journey from England must have been. Although every detail aboard the ship has been carefully reproduced, thankfully, you'll just have to imagine the pitching of the ship during a storm or the smells that the voyagers must have endured. On board you may meet costumed sailors and passengers who will be happy to share colorful tales of the perilous voyage.   

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Shenandoah Caverns and American Celebration on Parade

11/4/2014

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by Micaela Williamson

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Shenandoah Caverns and American Celebration on Parade is the perfect place for families to get their fix of Americana.  As the only caverns in Virginia with an elevator service, Shenandoah Caverns has been welcoming people of all ages for over 90 years. After descending into the caverns, visitors are taken on an hour long guided tour through seventeen different chambers. The expert tour guide highlights the history of the caverns and points out special geological formations such as "The Diamond Cascade," "Rainbow room," "The Capitol Dome," the famous "bacon" and many more. 
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Diamond Cascade
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"The Bacon"
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"The Rainbow Room"

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