Reviewers Retreat and Great Wolf Lodge

Written by on May 24, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Last week at this time I was lucky enough to be sitting in a conference room with some rock stars of the blogging world as part of Reviewers Retreat.  Reviewers Retreat  was the brainchild of fellow NEPA blogger Cecilia Mecca of Cool Baby Kid and her business partner Bridgette Duplantis of Experimental Mommy.   I am relatively new to the blogging scene and as such this was the first conference that I chose to attend due to its local and super-convenient location, Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono’s.

What a fabulous conference and location it was!  I met so many great people at this conference, people who really inspired me to make NEPA MOM the best it can be and heard great speakers such as Stacey DeBroff of Mom Central.  I also was able to network with many great companies such as Little Looster, Pampers and two of my own personal favorites PA companies, Musselman’s and Hershey’s!

As fabulous as the conference was, one of the best parts of it was its great location, Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono’s! Living here in NEPA, I constantly hear about friends trips to Great Wolf, see ads on tv and hear them on the radio but I had personally never been to Great Wolf Lodge myself.  Unfortunately I did not stay overnight but I was able to see a fellow conference attendees room and it was amazing!  Roomy, tastefully decorated and a great place to unwind between conference sessions and,I’m sure, rides down the water slide!  Speaking of the water slide, I was able to get some awesome pictures of the slides~my kids would love this place!

I also got to eat dinner there one night and have to say that the buffet was a little pricey but the food was awesome and there was something for everyone!  Seriously, if you go hungry at Great Wolf then that’s your problem, there was so much to chose from!

One thing to remember about Great Wolf is that while the cost may seem pricey at first, water park tickets are always part of the deal and there are many food options available to you on the premises.  In fact, we got pizza takeout for lunch one day and it was delicious.  There are always deals available at Great Wolf so if you are planning on taking the family make sure to check out their deals page on their website before you book or talk to one of their very friendly and knowledgeable reservations agents.  If you want to check out their deals online go to Great Wolf’s website and click on plan and the current deals will be listed there.

I can’t wait to go back with the kids!  It really is a great family destination right in our very own NEPA backyard!

 

 


Categories: Day Trips, nepa, Uncategorized - Tags: , , ,

National Public Gardens Day is tomorrow!

Written by on May 5, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Tomorrow, May 6th is the third annual National Public Gardens Day.  As part of this event more than 500 gardens will be celebrating and raising awareness’s of environmental education and plant and water conservation.  Unfortunately  there are no gardens in NEPA that are participating but a search of PA turned up more than 30, with the Philly area and the Hershey Gardens being the closest.

To find out what gardens are participating and to learn what each garden is doing to celebrate this day visit www.Nationalpublicgardensday.org.  

Categories: Day Trips, deals, national public gardens day, nepa

Do you take your kids on Factory Tours? PA makes the grade and lands two spots in the top 7!

Written by on May 5, 2011 · Leave a Comment

The website Kidventurous recently named 7 Fun Factory Tours for Kids and the Crayola Factory tour in Easton and Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey were both named!!

We really are very fortunate to live in such a great state that offers so much for families!  Have you ever been to either of these places?  What were your thoughts?  Did you  and your children enjoy them?

As many of you may know, I used to live in Hershey for many years and love the town.  There is so much much for residents and visitors to do in the town. Check out this post I wrote in 2009 about things to do in Hershey for some inspiration!

Categories: Crayola Factory, Day Trips, Hershey Chocolate World, Kidventurous, nepa

Looking for a great deal for the Philadelphia Zoo?

Written by on May 4, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Make sure to check out the deal that Jenna at Electric City Deals has posted!  My family loves the Zoo, we are season pass holders and are looking forward to visiting again soon!

Categories: Day Trips, deals, nepa, Philadelphia Zoo

Great deal at the Please Touch Museum!

Written by on April 11, 2011 · Leave a Comment

My friend Jenna over at Electric City Deals has the details on how you can score half price tickets to the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia!  Make sure to check it out here!

Thanks Jenna, Electric City Deals!

Categories: Day Trips, deals, nepa, please touch museum, Sesame place discount tickets

Looking to add a little Spring to your day?

Written by on March 6, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Today is a great day for a day trip to Philadelphia and do you want to know why?  It may be dreary and rainy here in NEPA  but travel two hours south to Philadelphia and “Spring” has sprung!

Today is the opening day of the Philadelphia Flower Show and it runs through Sunday, March 13th!!  This year the theme is “Springtime in Paris” and all proceeds from the show benefit the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the urban greening program Philadelphia Green.

The Philadelphia Flower Show is the worlds largest indoor flower show encompassing 10 acres of exhibit space into a floral wonderland!  It is located at the Pennsylvania Convention Center at 12th and Arch Street, Philadelphia.

 Tickets and hours of operation information can be found here.

Have a great time!!

Categories: Day Trips, nepa, philadelphia Flower Show, springtime in paris

Sesame Place is offering a great discount on their season tickets!

Written by on February 25, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Now though March 1st you can save up to $48 off your season pass!  Go here for more details!

From their website:

Discovery Passport


Sesame Season Pass >>

Unlimited admission during the 2011 regular operating season, plus 30% off food and merchandise at the park!
$71.24 plus tax                     You save $23.75!
Big Bird Passport


Big Bird Season Pass >>

All of the Sesame benefits, plus FREE general parking, 50% off admission to Busch Gardens, Aquatica, SeaWorld, Adventure Island and Water Country USA, VIP seating at shows, meet and greets with your favorite Sesame Street friends and discounts on Dining with the Characters!
$93.74 plus tax                     You save $31.25!
Super Grover Passport


Super Grover Season Pass>>

All of the Big Bird benefits plus FREE admission to Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Aquatica, Adventure Island and Water Country USA, FREE preferred parking and more!
$146.24 plus tax                   You save $48.75!

Have a great time!

Categories: Day Trips, nepa, Sesame place discount tickets

PA Farm Show starts TODAY!!

Written by on January 8, 2011 · Leave a Comment

2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show

The very family friendly Pennsylvania Farm Show kicked off today at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg Pa! 

The show, which runs from January 8-15 features live animals, shows like rodeos and calf roping, contests like sheep shearing and pie making,

Butter Sculpture.jpg

a jungle gym butter sculpture and MORE…..  This really is a fun time for all ages. 

Admission is FREE, you must pay for parking, which is $10.  The Harrisburg Patriot News has put together a list of things not to miss at the Farm Show and they include:

  • A Farm to Fun Dog Demonstration of herding dogs will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Large Arena.
  • Miniature ponies will demonstrate their strength in a Mini Pony Pull from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in the Equine Arena.
  • Arena Carriage Racing, in which participants compete against the clock, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Large Arena.
  • Flag racing, an exciting sport involving galloping horses and determined riders, will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Large Arena.
  • Can you milk? State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, legislators and celebrities will compete in a Celebrity Cow Milking Contest at 2:30 p.m. Friday in the Equine Arena.

Click here for the entire list!

Here is a complete listing of all events being held in the arenas, which include the rodeos, calf roping and more. 

Finally, here is the complete listing of ALL events during the Farm Show. 

Have a GREAT time!

Categories: Day Trips, harrisburg patriot news, Local Events, nepa, pennlive.com, pennsylvania farm show

Day Trip to the Philadelphia Zoo!

Written by on August 14, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Where did the summer go? As the lazy days of August tick away have you visited all those places you wanted to do with your kids this summer? Still looking for ideas for quick day trips? Well this is a great one! Way back in the spring—which seems so long ago—my husband and I decided to take the kids on an impromptu visit to the Philadelphia Zoo. We had a great time! We got in the car and a little more than two hours later and we were wandering through America’s first zoo!

We loved the PECO Primate Reserve, where we got to see the Gorilla’s up close and personal, watching them swinging on ropes and interacting with the young gorillas.

We loved the Big Cats and especially loved the Rare Animal Conservation Center, where we got to see a real lemur—a thrill for my little Zoboomafoo fans! And let’s not forget the Zebra and the Giraffe! The Zoo is very walkable, and is very easy to maneuver with strollers. There are plenty of places for little legs to take a break and lots to see and do.

The Philadelphia Zoo is open every day of the year, except Thanksgiving Day, December 24, 25 and 31, January 1, and the second Thursday in June.

This trip was a highlight of our animal loving kid’s summer and they keep asking when we are going back! Be sure to make time to visit the Zoo!

Categories: Day Trips, Local Events, nepa, Philadelphia Zoo

From NEPA to NYC…

Written by on December 18, 2009 · Leave a Comment

This past weekend my husband and I got to go to New York City for the weekend without children. We left them home with the grandparents and headed to the Big Apple for a few days of work and relaxation.

While there however, I couldn’t help but note how family friendly NYC is, in fact while browsing through my hotel’s gift shop I found the book “New York’s 50 Best places to take children.” While out and about there were kids on the sidewalks, in all the restaurants and the hotel lobbies. I even saw a young boy riding his bike with training wheels down the sidewalk!

The holidays make New York even more magical. From the decorations in the shop windows on 5th Avenue,

to the light show at Saks,

to the tree—you know THE TREE! What kid—or kid at heart—wouldn’t love to go ice skating under that beautiful tree in Rockefeller Center?

A visit to FAO Schwartz is a must if you have the kids with you.  Don’t forget to see the real life toy soldier guarding the door, the menagerie of stuffed animals near the escalators and of course the “BIG” piano.

Got a little girl in your life? Then be sure to stop by the American Girl store to purchase them their very own Kit, Kirstin or Bitty Baby.

Not into shopping? Then visit Central Park, where in the winter you can ice skate and in the summer you can feed the birds and the ducks. You can also visit the Central Park Zoo and see the Alice in Wonderland Statue.

Depending on the ages of your kids a trip to the bright lights of Broadway might be just the thing for you. Last but not least, what would a trip to NYC be without seeing the Empire State Building and visiting  the Statue of Liberty.

New York is just a short 2 ½ hour ride from Scranton and there are a ton of things to do. This is a great destination for either a quick day trip or make a weekend out of it! The best part is you are making wonderful memories with your children that they will never forget!

Categories: american girl, central park, Day Trips, empire state building, family fun, nepa, new york city, Scranton, statue of liberty

Day Trip to The Sweetest Place on Earth

Written by on November 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment

One of the greatest things about living in NEPA is the close proximity to Philly, New York and Baltimore. All of these are just a short 2-3 hour drive, perfect for a day trip or a quick weekend getaway. Hershey is another one of those great places to visit, especially during the Christmas season. The town that chocolate built comes alive for Christmas. From the sweet aroma of chocolate wafting through the air and the thousands of twinkling lights all along Hersheypark Drive you just can’t help but be happy.

A trip to Hershey at Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Hersheypark, Hershey Sweet Lights and visiting the Hershey Hotel for hot cocoa. It is truly magically seeing the park all lit up with thousands of twinkling lights, hot chocolate in hand, listing to the carols being played.

Hershey is so much more than just an amusement park however. Be sure to head to Chocolate World, at the entrance of Hersheypark, and take in the 3-D show. When the show is done head over to the chocolate tour, where every ride ends sweetly with a piece of chocolate.

Looking for a bit of nature? Then be sure to visit ZooAmerica . Now that the weather is cooler most of the crowds are gone and the animals are typically more active. This North American Wildlife park offers close up views of bears, buffalos, gray wolves and so much more. With wide open pathways this is a great place for your kids to run around and get some exercise.

The Hershey Gardens  may not seem like a logical choice for a fall/winter visit but this is a can’t miss. The absolute best view of Hershey can be had from the Gardens. Be sure to visit the Children’s Garden, where you can see the dancing pig and stand on the kid sized sundial. Visit the Bonsai tree exhibit and stroll the grounds viewing the National Christmas Trees—where dozens of trees decorated with ornaments from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will be on display.

Want to learn more about the town of Hershey—like why it is called Hershey but is really named Derry Township? Want to thrill your little ones with an authentic trolley ride? Want a chocolaty snack? Then be sure to hop on the Hershey Trolley  for a 35 minute tour of Hershey. Your kids will love this ride and many an infant has been lulled to sleep from the gentle swaying of the trolley.

After your trolley ride head over to the brand-new Hershey Museum  a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the life and legacy of the founder of the Hershey empire—Milton Hershey. Learn about his life and his failures in the chocolate world before his great success—the Hershey Bar. Learn about his legacy—not just of chocolate but of his school for underprivileged children– called the Milton Hershey School.

And last but not least, shopping. What would a get-away be if there wasn’t shopping. While in Chocolatetown be sure to stop at the Outlets at Hershey. With a great assortment of shops for every member of your family and a to-die-for scrapbook store you definitely won’t leave empty-handed.

Have a great time whatever you decide to do and I hope you go home feeling like Hershey truly is “The Sweetest Place on Earth!”

Categories: Day Trips, Hershey, nepa, Sweetest Place on Eath

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