Forging a Pint-Sized Patriot

“Mom, did George Washington really live here?” my daughter, Lindsay, asked me as we stood outside the picturesque stone house set amidst a cluster of towering trees. While many spots along the Eastern Seaboard love to lay claim to the fact that the first prez spent a night under their roofs, this place provided more than just overnight accommodations for Washington. The general lived here for several months during the Continental Army’s 1777-1778 winter encampment at Valley Forge during the American Revolution.

We saw where Washington held strategy sessions and where he laid his head after a long day of commanding the troops. Much of the house is original, so as we went up and down the stairs we were using the same banister George himself had used, which I thought was pretty cool.

What Lindsay was most intrigued by was the contrast between Washington’s somewhat swanky sleeping quarters (a cushy bed, a pretty rug underfoot) and the huts made from logs and mud that the soldiers shared along Valley Forge’s lines of defense. As she peered into a few replica huts, she noticed the dirt floors, very uncomfortable-looking bunk beds, and the darkness that resulted from a lack of windows.

These were a few stops we made as we took the self-guided driving tour of Valley Forge National Historical Park in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. A ranger-led walking tour was also available, but that might have been pushing it with a five-year-old. But Lindsay did thoroughly enjoy the Once Upon a Nation storytelling benches at a couple of spots along the driving tour, where we learned about the first official celebration of George Washington’s birthday and the German word for “stupidhead” (told to us during the tale of how Prussian army officer Baron von Steuben helped train the Continental Army).  

I’m a self-proclaimed history nerd, so I’m glad to see that my daughter is developing an appreciation for our country’s past. And Valley Forge was a great place to nurture that appreciation, with its historic buildings, impressive statues and monuments, pretty scenery, and ample leg-stretching opportunities. Plus, if offers some interesting perspective on the perks of being in power. 

Just Pretend

“What would you like for lunch?” my apron-clad daughter asked me as I sat in a little booth in a replica train dining car. After I made my selection off of the laminated menu, Lindsay scurried off to the “kitchen” to prepare my “meal.”

The Bucks County Children’s Museum isn’t huge. And a tween-ager might get a little bored there. But the under-ten set can definitely give their imaginations a good workout at this recently opened spot in New Hope, Pennsylvania.

Lindsay spent lots of time in the museum’s Town Square section, home to the train car as well as a general store exhibit where kids can shop or play cashier. In the post office area, she carefully sorted postcards into their proper P.O. boxes, begrudgingly handing over the mailbag (and her orderly handiwork) to another little one who wanted to give postal delivery a try.

With shovel and brush in hand, Lindsay dug for “fossils,” uncovering artifacts like a wagon wheel and a conch shell used on the Delaware Canal. After a few trips down the slide at the indoor tree house and a stroll through a small-scale covered bridge, she created her own car using bins of Lego-like blocks, then gave her vehicle a test ride down two hilly tracks.

This is exactly the kind of place I wish I had close to my hometown. With its reasonable general admission prices ($7) and membership rates ($75 a year for a family of four), the museum offers a fun, fantasy-filled, budget-friendly spot at which to spend an afternoon.    

On the Same Page

I love the library. I always have. I still have fond memories of attending story hour at the library in my childhood hometown, of making my way to the special space over which an amazing children’s librarian presided.

I’ve been known to visit libraries during my travels. And not just world-famous ones like the New York Public Library. But smaller, more community-centric ones like the library in Bridgton, Maine, into which my husband, daughter, and I strolled during a summertime day trip to the town. And every time we visit my in-laws in Pennsylvania, my daughter pays a visit to the Warminster Township Free Library.

We frequent the library when we’re not traveling too, checking out books and taking part in some of the free programming offered for kids. We’re blessed with two great libraries in our current hometown of Venice, Florida, the Venice Library and Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Library. Both offer all kinds of free kids’ activities, from story time and Lego clubs to screenings of popular animated movies. Lindsay is particularly partial to the arts-and-crafts sessions, where she’s made a cute little owl out of a toilet-paper roll, a fashion-forward Father’s Day card, and other masterpieces.

Of course, all those books also prove a big draw for her, just as they do for her mom. I’ve got a little library lover on my hands. And someone who’ll willingly wander with me into any library we come across in our travels. Who knows what kind of program or activity we’ll find waiting inside? And if all else fails, we won’t have any problem finding something good to read.

Wet but Not So Wild

Lots of the hotel pools at the Walt Disney World Resort have waterslides that twist and turn and splash riders into the water below. But if you have a kiddo like mine who’s not known for being brave, the pool area at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a great place for little ones to test the waters when it comes to slipping and sliding.

The children’s water play area includes three waterslides sized just right for kids under 48 inches tall, two standard slides and one tube-style slide. Kids splash down into a shallow, contained area, so there’s no need to worry about them navigating deeper waters or crowded pools.

There’s water squirting out from all over the pirate ship–themed play structure; kids can even control the level of spray in most places by turning wheels that reduce or increase the flow. The whole time they’re playing, a huge bucket fills up with water overhead. When a bell starts ringing, that signals that the bucket is about to tip over, spilling its contents all over anyone below. Some kids relish this soaking; others (like my daughter in her younger days) run away from the dousing.

On our most recent trip to Caribbean Beach, Lindsay braved the slides at the main pool area, including an 80-foot-long one that traveled inside a faux fort. But she still spent lots of time skipping and splashing through the children’s play area, even standing in the path of the spilling bucket a few times. She may be getting bigger, but she’s still able to appreciate when good things come in small packages.

A Delicious Deal

We’ve been going to Gold Rush BBQ in Venice since my daughter, Lindsay, was a baby. From a very young age, she would dig into whatever kind of sampler plate we made up for her from our meals, feasting on chopped barbecue pork, green beans, barbecue beans, and melt-in-your-mouth cornbread. She’s now graduated to choosing for herself off of the kids’ menu, but she still always includes the green beans in her order.

Gold Rush is an ideal spot for kids. The opposite of formal and stuffy, the restaurant’s always humming with activity—bustling servers, customers coming in and out—which helps drown out crying, whining, or a stray shout here and there. There’s lots to look at in the dining room that’s done up like a gold miner’s shack, everything from lanterns and canteens to a faux flickering campfire. It’s a game of “I Spy” just waiting to happen. And all of the meals are served in metal mining tins, which means that Junior won’t break anything if he “accidentally” throws his plate on the floor.

Available for diners ages 12 and under, the kids’ menu features old standards like a burger, hot dog, and chicken nuggets along with options like chopped barbecue beef and a quarter rack of baby back ribs. Everything comes with one side dish; choices include applesauce, corn on the cob, cucumber salad, and the aforementioned green and barbecue beans. Expect a kids’ meal to ring in at $3.99, except for the pricier ribs, which will run you $5.99.

Unless you visit Gold Rush on a Monday from May to October. During that time frame, kids eat for free on Mondays. Here’s how it works: With the purchase of adult entrées, up to two kids per table can dine at no charge. Any additional kids eat for just $2 each. Face painting and a bike giveaway add to the family fun.

After devouring a platter loaded with tender barbecued meat, two sides, and a sublime square of cornbread, grown-up diners might not find a meal at Gold Rush to be easy on the waistline. But for families who visit on a Monday, the dining experience will definitely be easy on the wallet.

Pier-ing into the Past

It felt a little as if I were walking the plank, as we ventured out onto the Anna Maria City Pier. The structure became more rickety the farther out we went. And with no railings in sight and at just about a foot or two above the turquoise waters of Tampa Bay, it felt like someone could have tumbled off at any time. Luckily, I kept my footing, and I’m blessed with a kiddo who stayed a safe distance from the edge.
 

The pier dates from 1911 and originally welcomed visitors to Anna Maria Island who arrived by steamship. It was co-commissioned by Charles Roser, who’s credited by some for having developed the recipe or baking process for the Fig Newton cookie.

Today, you won’t see any paddlewheelers pulling up to the pier. Instead, it’s a prime spot for sightseeing and fishing. Those who make it to the end of the 776-foot-long protrusion are rewarded with sweeping views of Tampa Bay and of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge arching over the water. The white dome of Tropicana Field can be spotted in the distance, along with downtown St. Petersburg.

If staring at the vista works up an appetite, the City Pier Restaurant occupies prime real estate at the end of the pier. Not surprisingly, its menu features plenty of seafood dishes, from chowder and fish sandwiches to fried shrimp and blackened grouper.

If you’ve got a runaway toddler or a let-me-just-see-if-I-can-touch-the-water type of kid, the Anna Maria City Pier might lead to more anxiety than relaxation. But if you’ve got a safety-conscious kiddo, or one on which you can keep a firm grip, a stroll on the pier helps bring a little of the area’s past alive. And in looking at the view, it’s easy to understand why folks hopped aboard those steamships en route to the island.

A Sweet Spot

One trait my daughter and I share is a major sweet tooth. So we were both thrilled to get the opportunity to visit the Sarasota Cupcake Company recently.

Located on Sarasota's St. Armands Circle, the shop occupies a colorful spot with rainbow stripes on the wall, groovy light fixtures hanging over the counter, and some seriously pretty photographs of its products hanging throughout the space. Flavors change daily but might include combinations like chocolate mint, caramel apple, and orange passion fruit.

The cupcakes cost $4 each, but they’re definitely big enough to split or to save half for later, if you can control yourself. Lindsay clearly couldn’t when her choice of red velvet was put in front of her.

I had the shop’s version of a Hostess cupcake; its chocolate ganache, creamy filling, and moist chocolate cake far surpassed the original. And no, I didn’t save any for later. Which just gives us an excuse to pay the Sarasota Cupcake Company another visit!