10 Fun and Free Things To Do With Kids in Washington D.C.

In November, we were able to take our kids to Washington D.C., but had only 48 short hours to see the sites.  We made a whirlwind tour of the city and got to see some amazing and historical places.  Here are our suggestions of ten sites to visit in the nation’s capital with your kids.  Reservations were required for a few of these locations, but all of these places we visited were FREE.

White House Tour: A few weeks prior to our trip, we contacted the office of our U.S. Representative, Sam Johnson, and were able to get tickets to tour the White House.  The tour takes around 45 minutes, and allows you to see some of the famous rooms in the house.  It was as much as a treat for the parents as it was for the kids.  The White House Visitor Center, located a few blocks away, is a great place to see before or after your tour.  They have a very interesting video describing the history of the White House and the various renovations it has been through.  Other exhibits we enjoyed were about  former First Ladies and the children who lived in the White House.  NPS Jr Ranger books for the White House/Presidents Park are available here, and they have a nice area for the kids to work/color/rest.

U.S. Capitol Tour: We were also able to arrange tickets to tour the U.S. Capitol Building through our Congressman.  Congress was not in session the day we visited, but the impressive architecture and history of this building and our informative tour guide made the hour-long tour memorable.  Because so many tours come through the building at once, you are given headphones to wear which amplify your tour guide’s voice so you don’t miss anything.  The details in the rotunda murals were amazing.  Once you are in the Capitol building you can walk through an underground tunnel to the Library of Congress.  Lunch in the Capitol cafeteria is not free, but it was very convenient.

Library of Congress

National Archives: The National Archives displays some of the most important documents in our country’s history.  We were able to see originals of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  Our kids really enjoyed this since we had toured Independence Hall in Philadelphia four days earlier and stood in the actual room where both these documents were signed.  To minimize damage to the documents, cameras are not allowed.

The Air & Space Museum: This museum was incredible, and our kids really wish that we could have stayed longer.  They enjoyed seeing the original plane of the Wright Brothers, a plane flown by Amelia Earhart, and many different space craft.  Their favorite activity was a hands-on exhibit designed for children to teach the physical science behind flight.  If we had not made him leave, Andrew would still be there today marveling at the exhibit that demonstrated lift by making a ball float on a pocket of air.

Amelia Earhart's plane

National Museum of Natural History: The Smithsonian is actually a group of over 19 different museums surrounding the National Mall, but this particular  museum holds many of the exhibits made famous by Ben Stiller in “Night at the Museum”.  You could spend multiple days here and still not see everything, and it was very enjoyable despite the large crowds.  The dinosaurs were a big hit with everyone in the family.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: We have been fortunate on this adventure to attend Mass at some amazing Cathedrals across the country, but this was the crown jewel of churches on our trip.  This is the largest Catholic Church in North America. The high ceilings and architecture can accurately be described as breath taking, and the mosaics are unbelievably beautiful and detailed.  We took a taxi to the church, but found that taxis do not hang out there looking for fares after Mass, especially at night.  We had to wait around 40 minutes before Divine Intervention brought a taxi our way, so plan accordingly.

Lincoln Memorial: The walk up the famous steps of the Lincoln Memorial leads to quite a sight. Sitting on the steps, looking out over the reflecting pool, it is easy imagine what it was like when Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” Speech. The words to the Gettysburg Address are carved into one of the walls of the Memorial, and Mom was surprised at how much of the speech she remembered from 5th grade.  In the base of the Memorial, there are some excellent exhibits highlighting pioneers and events of the Civil Rights movement as well as President Lincoln’s life and achievements.  This is one of the two monuments where you can pickup NPS Jr. Ranger Books for the National Mall and Memorials Park.  At the base of the Memorial, you can also try some fun trick photography.

Washington Monument: The Washington Monument is the other location to pickup Jr. Ranger Books, or in our case, review your completed booklet with a Ranger and be sworn in as an official Junior Ranger.  Tickets are required to go to the top, but they are free and are available at the Visitor Center near the base.  We were fortunate to get the ticket for the next available time slot, and had a minimal wait.  The Monument is over 555 feet tall, and the top of the tower has windows on all four sides that make great viewpoints of the city in all directions.  This was a definite highlight of our trip.

Looking out of the observation window at the top of the Washington Monument

View from observation window of Washington Monument with Monument shadow in foreground

FDR Memorial: The FDR Memorial is a little of the beaten track, but definitely worth the visit.  The memorial is divided into four different sections, each representing one of the four terms President Franklin Delano Roosevelt served and featuring bronze statues illustrating events specific to that four year period.  Each section has a different and impressive waterfall feature – Andrew’s favorite part.

Korean War Veteran’s Memorial: This memorial features life-sized statues of Korean War soldiers on patrol, dressed in full combat gear and representing each branch of the armed services.  Behind them is a black granite wall on which is etched the faces of actual soldiers who perished.  From certain angles, the statues are reflected in the wall, making it appear as though an endless numbers of troops are coming out of the trees which line the area.  The atmosphere here was very somber, and we found it to be very moving and thought provoking.

Jefferson Memorial: The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is located on the water and features a very impressive rotunda.  The kids really enjoyed walking around and through the tall stone columns.  Underneath the memorial, the Visitor Center features exhibits on Jefferson’s life and amazingly diverse skills.

Statue of Thomas Jefferson in Jefferson Memorial

We will have to return to Washington DC one day, because there are so many other things we would love to see!

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Philadelphia, Part 4 – The Final Chapter

On our last day in Philadelphia, we were blessed with mild weather and small crowds.  We began in downtown Philadelphia for our 11:00 tour of Independence Hall.  Independence Hall is the Old State House of Pennsylvania, the site where the First and Second Continental Congresses met to sign both the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution.

Tickets to tour this building are available for free on a first-come first serve basis, but we highly recommend reserving them online (for a small convenience fee) if you are planning on visiting. The tickets seemed to go pretty quickly each day we were there because there are only a limited number of spaces to take the tour.

A Park Ranger leads the very informative, guided tour through the Hall, which is divided into two main rooms.  The room where both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed is arranged the way it looked in the late 1700s, and still contains the chair that George Washington sat in during the Constitutional Conventions.  Even the items on each desk are consistent with the period.  Once again we were filled with amazement  to be standing in a building filled with such historical significance.

At the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin observed the symbol of a half-sun on George Washington’s chair and remarked, “I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun.”

The second room  in the Hall served as a the main courtroom in Philadelphia.  We learned that the US Court System is based on the British legal system of the time.  The defendant was made to stand during his entire trial in a “cage” of iron bars in the center of the room.  This is where the phrase “to stand trial” originates.

After this tour we headed a few blocks South to visit St. Mary’s Catholic Church. This church is the oldest Catholic Church in Philadelphia, and George Washington once attended a service here in 1789 to celebrate the two year anniversary of the signing of the Constitution.  We had been in the church for a few minutes enjoying the beauty of the sanctuary when we realized that a midday Mass was starting.  The priest celebrating this Mass was blind, and it was very humbling and inspiring to see how he flawlessly performed all of his duties without the ability of sight.

St. Mary's Catholic Church

After Mass and a quick lunch back at the Bourse, we made one last trip to the Independence Visitor Center.  The kids turned in their completed Junior Ranger books and received their badges.  The Park Ranger spent about 15 minutes talking with them about what they had seen and learned, and he gave them all the Philadelphia historical site trading cards still needed to complete the set.

While Mom hit the gift shop, Dad and the kids played football on the grassy lawn outside the Visitor Center.

We then said goodbye to Philadelphia and drove onward to our nation’s capital.  We drove through the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia all in about three hours.  Being able to drive through 5 states in such a short time period is a little strange for people coming from a state the size of Texas.

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Philadelphia, Part 3 – Walking in the Footsteps of Franklin

The morning of Philadelphia Day 3 started with a trip to the Federal Reserve Building to visit their “Money in Motion” exhibit.  We learned all about our currency system past and present through twelve interactive exhibit stations.  Unfortunately, they did not give out free samples at the end, so we headed out for a quick lunch nearby.

We wandered into the Philadelphia Bourse, a beautiful historic building filled with a modern food court and small shops.  The kids were able to sample their first Philly Cheesesteaks and gave the meal a thumbs-up.

After lunch we went to the Franklin Court which houses the Ben Franklin Museum, Print Shop, and Post Office.  We were again amazed that we were able to stand in buildings that were over 235 years old and used by some our country’s most important historical figures.

Standing in the same tunnel that Ben Franklin walked through every day on his way to the Print Shop.

The highlight for us was to go to the Printing Shop he owned and see how they printed things in Franklin’s time.  A Park Ranger operated an actual press and showed us the process from beginning to end.  It was interesting to learn that Benjamin Franklin ran such a successful printing company in his 30s that he was able to retire from the business at the age of 40 and move onto other interests.

The Betsy Ross House was next on our list.  We learned that Betsy Ross was running a very successful upholstery business out of her home when she was approached to make a flag for our new country.  The house is still in remarkably good condition after all of these years, and we were again surprised at how low the some of the ceilings were in this time period.  Apparently this made the houses easier to heat during the harsh winters. 

In the basement of the house is a child size replica of a kitchen that would have been used during Betsy’s time.  Andrew had a great time following the recipe for chicken pot pie using wooden vegetables.

This kitchen exhibit is sponsored by a restaurant called The City Tavern that is famous in the city for its historical period dining.  Since the pretend pot pies looked so tasty, we decided to give it a try for dinner.  Unfortunately, this meant that our Cheesecake Factory marathon would sadly end after only two days.

The City Tavern’s goal is to deliver its guests a culinary experience inspired by the customs and foods of 18^th Century Colonial America.  The restaurant is located in a recreation of the original Tavern (established in 1773) and rebuilt only seven inches from the original site.  Tavern regulars included people like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, and you can almost picture men sitting at the tables discussing the impending Revolution.  The waiters wear clothes authentic to the period, a harpist provides background music, and most of the light comes from candles.  The food and drinks are made from recipes from the Colonial Period and included beers and breads made from the actual recipes of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

The Sampler

Dad chose the Lobster Pot Pie, while the rest of the family enjoyed the Turkey Pot Pie.  A lesson was learned that the bill can sometimes be shocking if an item such as a Lobster Pot Pie is listed at “Market Price”, but everything was delicious.

After dinner we headed to a second-hand bookstore to reload the van library for our voracious readers and then headed back to the hotel for our last night in Hotel Nirvana.

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Philadelphia, Part 2 – So That’s Where Potato Chips Come From

We awoke in our palatial hotel room at the Wingate by Wyndham with grand plans to go into Philadelphia and visit all of the historical sites.  A quick look out the window into the pouring rain led to a change of plans that included only indoor activities.

Our first stop of the day was in Nottingham, PA, for the Herr’s Foods Snack Factory Tour.  Herr Foods started in 1946 when James Herr bought a truck and three iron pots for cooking potato chips for $1750.  From these humble beginnings, Herr’s has grown into a major enterprise, selling over 340 different snack food items in 20 states.

The factory tour led us through all phases of their chip and pretzel making processes and was really cool.  The machinery used to make chips and other snacks on such a grand scale was amazing.  Unfortunately, no cameras were allowed, so you’ll have to take our word for it.  The best part of the tour was getting to sample warm potato chips that had just come of the line on their way headed to the bagging stations.

Our second indoor stop of the day led us to New Castle, Delaware, and Bowlerama.  The family bowled two games (luckily we paid by the game and not by the hour because we bowl VERY slowly), and everyone had a grand time.

Thanks to a little iPhone research we found our dining venue for the evening.  We headed to a nearby mall in Delaware that had another Cheesecake Factory.  Two nights in a row at the same restaurant is no problem for this group, especially when cheesecake is involved.

Despite the rain, we had a great, fun-filled day!

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Philadelphia, Part 1 – “Hotel Nirvana”

On our last morning in NYC, we reloaded the van and drove out of Brooklyn toward Philadelphia.  As we drove through, we were amazed at the size of Brooklyn.  It has a population of over 2.5 million, which would make it one of the five biggest cities in the United States if it was not part of New York City.

As the van headed south on the New Jersey Turnpike (we never knew how many toll roads there were in the Northeast), we began making our Philly plans.  We had an idea for a hotel, but no reservations.

Upon arriving in Philadelphia, we drove downtown to the Independence Visitor Center.

The National Park Service has done a great job organizing this Visitor Center, and they even provide information advising tourists on how best to utilize the amount of time they have in Philly.  Our late afternoon arrival limited us to seeing one only site that day, so we decided to start with the Liberty Bell.  As luck would have it, we were able to walk right into the museum and view the exhibits and the Liberty Bell.  The two other days that we visited the downtown area, there was a line to see the Liberty Bell that stretched out of the building at least 100 yards.  Victory for us!

After a quick photo with the Bell, we retrieved the van and headed towards King of Prussia, PA.  Research told us that staying outside of Philly proper could save us about 40% on the costs of hotels, so we made the drive 25 miles outside the city.  Second thoughts began when we hit standstill rush hour traffic.  More doubts arose when we finally pulled into the parking lot our intended hotel – The Best Western in King of Prussia.  The hotel is currently being renovated and the website pictures are clearly of work yet to be completed.  Dad ran in to quickly survey the lay of the land, and Plan B went into effect.  The new plan was to find dinner, and then make a final decision on accommodations.  The restaurant next door to the hotel was quickly shot down, so we headed across the street to the King of Prussia Mall, the second largest mall in the United States behind the Mall of the Americas in Minnesota.  It was here that the Clays discovered the greatness of The Cheesecake Factory.  We had never been to The Cheesecake Factory, and quickly realized that we had been missing something in our lives.

The iPhone Hotel Search begin at the table via Hotels.com.  On this leg of the YLA, we have had better results when searching for hotels when using the guest ratings as the main criteria.  We discovered that there was a hotel 7 miles outside of Philly (on the other side) with a good rate and perfect 5.0 reviews.  Reservations were made, and we made the journey back through Philadelphia to the place we had been searching for the entire trip, “Hotel Nirvana”.  We checked in to our King Suite at the Wingate by Wyndham in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, but after inspecting the room, realized that we must have been put in the Presidential Suite.  The suite was two full connecting rooms with a king bed in each, and was probably close to 600 SF.  After three weeks of continuous family togetherness, it was wonderful to be able to spread out a little.  Mom declared that she was so happy, she might never leave.

The parent's side of the suite

The kids' side of the suite

Sitting area on kids' side

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New York, New York – Part 3: The Final Chapter

So when we last left you, our plan was to be at Battery Park at 8:15 AM – a feat which would require us to leave our Brooklyn apartment sometime around 7:00 AM.  We somehow managed to get everyone dressed and out the door by 7:30 (better than expected), and headed off to the subway station.  This was going to be our first morning rush hour train experience.  Our thought was that there might be a few people joining us on the ride (especially since we were heading to the Financial District), and we were not disappointed.  The train was full at the last stop in Brooklyn before the tunnel goes under the East River into Manhattan (Yes – The train actually travels under the East River). It was hard to believe how many people were in our car (think sardines in a can), and even harder to fathom that most of these people do this every day.  Each rider was physically touching (wedged up against) at least two or more of his fellow riders, and still more people kept getting on!  Claustrophobics would not enjoy this ride.  It was a LONG 20 minutes, but we survived.

We made it! On the ferry to Liberty Island.

We arrived at the ticket counter by 8:20, and were able to procure the coveted Monument Passes allowing us access into the museum at the bottom of The Statue of Liberty.  We boarded the first ferry of the morning after passing through airport-type security.  Liberty Island is far away enough from Manhattan that the Statue actually appears small from the departure point.

View from the ferry

View from the water

Zoom lenses are amazing

Once the ferry had docked, we were awed by the size and scope of Lady Liberty.  We disembarked and found the Visitor Center, so that the kids could pick up their NPS Junior Ranger Books.  The majority of National Parks have Junior Ranger Programs, and our kids have really enjoyed them.  The books have activities that teach kids about the history and nature of the parks, and help add a little structure to your park visit.  Once the books have been completed, a Ranger checks their work, asks them a few questions, and swears the child in as a “Junior Ranger”.  The best part – kids get a certificate and a badge to wear which is stamped with the name of the park.

Taking the Junior Ranger oath

After storing our belongings in a locker (only cameras are allowed) and passing through a second security screening, we entered the pedestal building.  The museum inside the Statue of Liberty was really interesting, but the highlight was getting to step out on the balcony at the top of the pedestal and seeing the views of New Jersey, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island.

The original torch, replaced during the 1984 restoration.

A cast of Lady Liberty's face - actual size!

Posing with a cast of the statue's foot.

Views from the observation deck at the top of the pedestal.

Back on the ground looking up.

After lunch we boarded the ferry for the ride to Ellis Island.  Twelve million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island in the years from 1892-1954.  The museum here is very well done, and really made us think of the enormity of the voyage that these people took to start their new lives in America.  A second Junior Ranger program was completed here before taking the ferry to Manhattan.  If you plan on undertaking this trip to both parks and their museums then you really need to block out the entire day.  There is so much information presented that we could not see it all, and we did not step of the boat back in Manhattan until after 4:30 in the afternoon.  Thank goodness we had taken the first ferry of the day, or we might have had to camp overnight on the island.  Somehow I don’t think the Park Service would be on board with that idea.

The grand hall where so many immigrants waited to begin their "American Dream".

Once back in Manhattan, we made the 10 minute walk to Ground Zero.  There is a lot of construction being done on a new memorial, so we were unable to visit the actual site.  It is quite powerful to observe the gap in the skyline with sunlight shining through where the Towers once stood.

This sculpture once stood near the World Trade Center and was damaged in the attack. It now stands in Battery Park as a reminder of September 11, 2001, and a symbol of hope.

After having one of the most disappointing dinner of our trip (should have made it 3 in a row at Chevy’s), we took our final subway trip back to Brooklyn.  We are proud to say that the Clays survived and even flourished in our first and definitely not our last trip to New York City.

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New York, New York – Part 2

Bundled up and ready for the day

The plan for Day 2 in the Big Apple was to head down to Battery Park via subway and purchase tickets to ride the ferry over to Ellis and Liberty Islands for tours and to see the Statue of Liberty. Plans do not always work out.  It was very crowded when we purchased our tickets, but we headed out to find the line for the ferry assuming this was normal.  Once we found the front of the line, we looked as far as the eye could see, yet we could NOT see the END of the line.

The elusive Lady Liberty

A quick talk to a NPS Ranger gave us some great knowledge.  First, the current wait for the ferry was around 1.5 hours.  Second, Monument Passes that allow visitors into the Pedestal Museum of the Statue of Liberty are free, but are handed out starting at 8:30 every morning and were already gone for the day.  Finally, if you want to go up to the Crown of Lady Liberty then you should have purchased your tickets six months in advance.  Armed with this new information, it was time to reconsider.  We decided there was no way we could wait in line for that long with three kids, but luckily the ferry  tickets we had purchased were good for the next two days.  Plans were made to return in the morning around 8:15 to secure Monument Passes and to try to catch the first ferry of the day.  Bold plans for this group.

We took the train back to Brooklyn to try to find a restaurant that had been recommended by our friend Jen.  Grimaldi’s Pizzeria is an authentic Italian pizza place that is located under the Brooklyn Bridge, and apparently quite famous as well.  We were frustrated when we found a line on the sidewalk to get into the place, but decided to get in line since the dining options in the area were limited.  The guy at the door granting the lucky ones entry and the staff inside reminded us of the “Soup Nazi” from the Seinfeld episode or the doorman at a very exclusive club.  There were many rules in place, it was extremely crowded, and the waitstaff was very no-nonsense.  We were a little on edge and afraid that if we messed up, we would be told “No Pizza for You”!  One tip – do NOT try to take any photographs inside the restaurant.  You will be told forcibly, “No camera!” The pizza was good, and we really enjoyed the “experience” of the place.

A very crowded Grimaldi's

Unauthorized shot of a Grimaldi's pizza being made.

The final picture. We are lucky they did not smash the camera.

After lunch, the Urban Clays hit the subway again for a ride to Central Park.  It is really amazing to see such a massive open space surrounded by all of the buildings of the City.  We stopped at one of the many playgrounds in the park to allow the kids the chance to run around.  While avoiding overzealous carriage tour salesmen, we strolled through the gorgeous landscape and found our way to the Central Park Zoo.  We found the zoo to be overpriced and underwhelming in comparison to other zoos that we have attended, but the kids did enjoy the Polar Bears and Snow Monkeys.

We climbed to the top of a huge rock in Central Park.

We left the park and headed back downtown via the famous 5^th Avenue.  We were able to see many of the high dollar stores that included Saks 5^th Avenue, and the line to get into Abercrombie & Fitch looked like people waiting to get into a nightclub.  Among all of the stores is the magnificent St Patrick’s Cathedral.  The setting inside was surreal as hundreds of people were touring the sanctuary even once the All Saints Day Mass started.  The architecture and size of the Cathedral were simply amazing.

One of many the side chapels that line the Cathedral

Everyone was running on empty, so we headed back down to Times Square to eat at our new favorite restaurant, Chevy’s, for the second day in a row.  It really is THAT GOOD.  We then boarded our favorite subway and headed back to Brooklyn in time to catch the final game of the 2010 World Series.  Congratulations to the Texas Rangers on a great season.

Times Square

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New York, NY – Part 1

We spent the weekend in Mystic, Connecticut, (Home of Mystic Pizza), and then headed to New York City.  This was the first trip to The Big Apple for everyone (except for Mom, who had been there over 20 years ago).  We felt confident that we were ready for big city life after our successful trial run through Boston.  We had arranged to rent an apartment in Brooklyn due to the high costs of Manhattan Hotels and the desire for more room than the standard hotel room offers.  Thanks again to iPhone Maps for helping us navigate through Queens and into the heart of Brooklyn.  Our apartment was in a row house, one of four units in the building.  With two bedrooms, a living area, and kitchen, it was the perfect fit for our family and our mountain of luggage.

We awoke on Halloween morning excited to head into Manhattan.  Our apartment was a four block walk to the L Train Station, which was our planned mode of transportation to and from Manhattan.  The MTA Subway System is so complete and easy to use that we didn’t take a taxi during the three days we were in the city.  We were subterranean travelers all the way.

A quick transfer to another train and a stairway to the street led us into the heart of Times Square.  We had purchased tickets to take the kids to see “Mary Poppins” on Broadway, and our first order of business was to find lunch before the 3:00 show.  We did what everyone does when they go to NYC – we headed to a Mexican Food Restaurant.  Our choice was a place called Chevy’s, and we were quite pleased.  Please make sure that you are sitting down while reading this statement, because Mom proclaimed that it was “better than Chuy’s”.

We spent the remaining hour of spare time before the show walking to Rockefeller Center and seeing where people line up to watch the Today Show.  We knew there was no chance in ____ that we were going to ever make it down there in time to see Matt & Meredith during the actual filming of the show, so this would have to do.

"Zombies" walking down the street "Thriller-style"

On our way back to the New Amsterdam Theater, we stopped to watch some street performers doing dance routines and backflips over volunteers.  It was a scene straight out of a television show.

“Mary Poppins” was loved by all, but especially by our 4 year-old Andrew.  After each song he would turn to us and ask us if the show was over because he did not want it to stop.  Because this was a special performance, a rare backstage tour was available.  Dad provided everyone with a special treat by making the “donation” that allowed us to go on the tour, which included getting to meet and greet the four leads of the musical.  Man, that Dad is awesome.

Posing with "Bert", the chimney sweep

Meeting "Mary Poppins", "Jane", and "Michael". The two kids are dressed in their Hallowen costumes.

Up close view of the main set

In the wings backstage

We made our way to the train station and took the two trains necessary to get back to our neighborhood in Brooklyn.  Since it was Halloween night, we got to see quite a few “interesting characters” on the subway.  It was the perfect way to wrap up our first day in New York City.

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Plimoth Plantation

We left Boston and its rich history in search of a place in America with a really long history.  We found ourselves in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where the Pilgrims on the Mayflower landed in 1620.  Plimoth Plantation (and by the way, that IS how the Pilgrims spelled it) is a living museum that shows visitors what live was like in the Village of Plimoth in 1627 after the Pilgrims had been in America for seven years.  The villagers all interact with the guests as if it is 1627.  They will answer your questions and describe life at the time without getting out of character.

The Pilgrim village consists of around 15 buildings (houses, a meeting house, a barn, and a blacksmith workshop).  Chickens roam through the grounds and the villagers go about their daily activities, sometimes even asking for assistance from the visitors.  Since it is reflection of the villagers’ daily lives, the chores change depending on the season.  We saw women mix mud with their feet then use it to fill spaces between the boards of their home.  They asked the kids to go find stones of a certain size “out on the path” to help fill the gaps.  Women were tending their gardens, cooking porridge over a fire, and removing seeds from vegetables to plant the next season.  Men were fetching water from the well and building a new house from freshly split logs.  Our favorite experience was watching two men make nails.  They were using the bellows to fan the fire and heat the iron.  We watched as they cut and hammered the red hot metal into nails.  Fascinating!  We also attended a “service” at the Meeting House in which the preacher explained what the villagers believed and the role religion played in their daily lives.

Down the path from the Pilgrim village is the Wampanoag Village that shows how the native people lived at the time.  The villagers at the museum are actually part of the modern day Wampanoag Tribe. They do not speak in character from 1627 (probably would be a language issue), but do show visitors how their ancestors lived and dressed at the time.  We saw a dugout canoe being made from a very large log and went inside a family home covered in tree bark.  Examples of toys and games played by children in 1627 were available and we were able to try them out.

Our children learned that if they were growing up in 1627 they would prefer to be in the Wampanoag Village.  The children there played games all day while the children in the Pilgrim Village were expected to do chores for long hours.  We parents learned that these museums are best viewed on a day other than Field Trip Day.  Our journey back to 1627 was shared with about 1200 nine year olds.

Moored three miles away from Plimoth Plantation is a full size replica of the Mayflower.  We were able to go aboard and tour the ship in a lull between school groups.  The stories always mention how crowded it was with 108 Pilgrims and the crew.  Standing on the ship, it is hard to believe that many people could even fit inside.  It would have been a miserable journey, followed by years of extremely hard work trying to survive while building a life in a harsh wilderness. After a day in Plymouth, Massachusetts, we have a much greater understanding of what the early colonists experienced, and a deeper appreciation for all their sacrifices.

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Boston – The Urban Experience, Part 2

We awoke on our second morning in Boston to heavy rain, but were fortunate that the rain stopped right before we walked out of the hotel.  Our morning started with a tour of Fenway Park.  Seeing the ballpark and getting to sit up in the Green Monster Seats made us want to come back for a game.

The Green Monster

The coveted Green Monster seats

We took the train into Downtown with at least 200 of our closest friends in the same subway car.  Andrew fell down at the first three stops because he refused to hold on to the pole or let us hold onto him.  Despite the crowds, Allison still wants to ride the train everyday for the rest of her life.  Too bad she lives in Dallas.

Squeezing in on the subway

We had lunch in the North End neighborhood of Boston, home to over 250 Italian restaurants.  Overwhelmed by so many choices, we picked the first one that was empty and had televisions playing SportsCenter.   La Famiglia Spagnuolo turned out to have great food as well, and  we enjoyed witnessing the colorful interaction among the family that owns the restaurant.  Authentic pizza, ravioli, and spaghetti with meatballs gave us energy to continue our walking tour of historic Boston.

We then headed down to the famous Mike’s Pastry to get some treats for later.  (Thanks to Grant for the recommendation.) While we were choosing from the incredible selection, a man came into the store in 18^th Century Dress (powdered wig and all), and proposed down on one knee to one of the employees of the store – certainly an event that you do not see every day.  She said yes, and service was temporarily halted while the entire store celebrated.  Very cool!  More pics here.

We then followed the Freedom Trail to the Old North Church, the famous site where two lanterns were hung to warn that the British were “coming by sea”.  In addition to the main sanctuary, we were able to tour the bell tower and the crypt in the basement where approximately 800 people were entombed between the 17^th and 19^th Centuries.  Our tour guide was enthusiastic and very informative, and it was really cool to see bells dating back to the time of Paul Revere and see the complicated process it takes to ring them.

Descending down the narrow stairs from the bell tower to the crypt

Next, we went to a nearby cemetery where some of the tombstones dated back to the mid-1600s.  The long and important history of this city is hard to fathom.

We probably ended up walking around 5 miles that day, but the kids were great and only turned grumpy near the end of the walk.  Luckily they spotted a cab that Dad was able to hail with his big city whistling skills.  Allison is already planning our next trip to Boston because there is so much more to see.

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