Traveling with children can provide rich experiences for all ages. Hence, this month’s discussion topic:
Suggest fun spots to explore or activities to enjoy with young RVers aboard.
First, electronic devices keep everyone happy while traveling. Tablets, iPhones, and Kindles hold more games than I could put in my motorhome. To keep them powered while driving, all 12-volt plugs in the coach can now connect to the USBs. Second, we enjoy amusement parks where one ticket allows us to use the entire park. As lines get longer, children lose interest. Since we have a wide age spread, we look for age-appropriate rides in each section of the park. Third, we search for campgrounds with transportation to and from the park, because at midday we like to return to the RV for a snack or meal, or relax at the pool for a while. We also look for places with motorhome parking; when we’re at zoos or national parks, the RV becomes a place to reset ourselves midday. Finally, we carry crayons, coloring books, DVDs, playing cards, and mind games for times when the kids lose interest in electronic devices. Traveling with children of different ages has always been a challenge, but we have found that they bond and entertain each other, because that is what families do.
Richard and Phyllis Cicchetti, F387705
Plymouth, Massachusetts
We had so much fun RVing with our 6-year-old grandson this past summer. Our adventures took us to New York and the Mid-Atlantic states. At Niagara Falls, New York, on the Maid of the Mist boat tour, he was awestruck to see more than 150,000 gallons of water flow over the American side of the falls. And an evening tour of the Canadian side of the falls shouldn’t be missed. During the Journey Behind the Falls tour, we descended 150 feet via elevator and then watched water crashing down from above. The most spectacular view was after dark, when we took the Skylon Tower elevator to see the falls in full color.
Near Rochester, New York, we spent a day in Letchworth State Park, “the Grand Canyon of the East.” We saw waterfalls, stopped at scenic viewpoints, and enjoyed playgrounds and trails.
The Hershey Story Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, provides interactive activities to engage young visitors, especially making one’s own candy bar in the Hershey’s Kitchen.
In Utica, Ohio, we toured the Velvet Ice Cream Factory during production and finished with a taste of ice cream.
The Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio, was a real adventure: so many exhibits, demonstrations, and hands-on educational activities.
We carefully chose family-friendly campgrounds with swimming pools, playgrounds, mini golf, and fishing. We brought along games to play together. We went to the movies, and had a coach movie night with popcorn. The campground game room was a regular stop. A favorite after-dark adventure was launching lighted “rocket copters,” followed by s’mores at the campfire.
Have plenty to do, and your camper buddy will have fun!
Charlene Luney, F284402
Poinciana, Florida
Two miles west of Madison, South Dakota, near Lake Herman, 160-acre Prairie Village features historically preserved homes, businesses, and churches. Wander through hotels; a bank; a telephone company; and private homes, including a sod house and an 1800s log cabin. A steam-powered carousel and a working train are other features. We enjoyed history in this quiet, safe, bucolic environment. The campground has 400 electric and 250 boondocking sites, plus fresh-water hydrants, a dump site, and clean rest rooms and showers. Plan your stay so you can watch how wheat was harvested and threshed by 1800s steam-powered equipment (www.prairievillage.org; 800-693-3644).
Jim and Loni Macy, F416786
Madison, South Dakota
Future questions:
1. Looking ahead to FMCA’s 95th International Convention in Chandler, Arizona, next March, what’s a great travel spot to explore out West at that time of the year?
2. Are you a snowbird, or do you like RVing in colder climates? Describe your preference.