My toddler and I spent our second day in Honolulu with Discover Hawaii Tours, on their Polynesian Cultural Center and Circle Island Tour. We only had three days in Hawaii and I wanted to see and do as much as we possibly could in that time. I really would have liked to spend more time at every single place we stopped, but we just didn’t have time on this trip. Now we have a lot of reasons to go back. We saw Pearl Harbor, the Dole Plantation, the North Shore, the Byodo-In Temple, a tropical farm, scenic overlooks and many film locations, in addition to spending a few hours at the Polynesian Cultural Center, all in one day.

Here are a few of the highlights from our Oahu tour:

The Dole Plantation

I would have loved to take Jack on the Pineapple Express train and to see the world’s largest maze, but all we had time to do was get some pineapple whipped ice cream. Yum!

We drove through the pineapple fields on our way to the North Shore and Greg, our native tour guide, told us that this year is the last year Hawaii will be producing and exporting pineapples, so we were lucky to see what might be the last pineapple crops in those fields.

Sunset Beach

Look familiar? I know I have seen tons of iconic beach pictures from this exact beach. I would love to go back at sunset someday to see how Sunset Beach earned its name. It’s definitely not a beach for swimming though; there were signs everywhere warning of the dangerous conditions.

On the way to Sunset Beach, we passed Turtle Beach, where tons of sea turtles commune every afternoon. On Oahu, every turtle is tracked and even has a name. They rope off Turtle Beach when the turtles arrive to keep them safe, but I’m sure you could still get a good view. If you come across a turtle in the wild, Greg says not to touch it, because we can pass our germs along and many turtles get sick and die this way. He said he used to ride the turtles before they knew the germs were passed along. No fair.

We passed quite a few other excellent surfing beaches, including Waimea Bay and the Banzai Pipeline and saw tons of gorgeous scenery. But what struck me the most about the North Shore was how quant it is. There are no humongous luxury resorts or McMansions, just some nice little neighborhoods with rules against building them. There are still multimillion-dollar homes to be sure, but the price definitely reflects the location more than the house itself.

Polynesian Cultural Center

This large open-air attraction features various “villages” showcasing different Polynesian islands, including Somoa, New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji and more. Each island “village” is staffed mainly with BYU Hawaii students, who are originally from the islands portrayed and who benefit from scholarships funded by the money the park brings in. Most of the islands have a performance showcasing their culture, as well as some hands-on activities and demonstrations.

The Polynesian Cultural Center gave us a little taste of each of these islands and now I just HAVE to visit them all. Soon. Especially Samoa, whose show we enjoyed the most. I enjoyed hearing about how the men in Samoa not only do the hunting and fishing; they also do the cooking and the cleanup after. That’s why they are called “the happy people.” The men there have learned that when the women are happy, everybody’s happy. Jack enjoyed the square “ball” woven for him out of some kind of plant and watching the Samoans shimmy up the palm trees. That was his favorite part and he immediately said, “Wanna do it! Wanna climb up!” So I helped him “climb” up the trees, just like them.

We also had a BBQ buffet lunch here, included in our tour, and took a canoe ride through the park’s tropical lagoon. The grand finale was a show on canoes, showcasing the unique music and dance of each island culture.

Byodo-In Temple

This photogenic Buddhist temple in the middle of the lush Hawaiian landscape was a nice final stop. We were pretty worn out after such a busy day, so it was nice to stroll around in this stunningly beautiful yet very relaxing place. Jack enjoyed the koi ponds, ducks and black swans. All the little paths were perfect for a toddler to wander.

We were totally wiped out by the time we returned to our hotel, but it was worth it. We got to see a lot of the island in just one day.

(Editorial note: we paid full price for the tour; this is my honest, unbiased opinion, as always.)

When we came around the corner to Waikiki Beach, I was expecting to see hordes of people lining the sand, as I’ve heard it can get quite crowded. Lucky for us, Jack doesn’t care about time zones changing and all that and woke up at 6 a.m. We got to the beach around 8:30 and although it wasn’t empty, the crowds had yet to show up. I held Jack’s hands as he waded in the waves, picking him up for the big ones. He kept saying, “Here comes a big one!” even if it was just a regular one. Or a small one. He could have done this all day, but my arms eventually got tired and we went up to play in the sand.

Then, who should come by but two people who were on the plane from Denver with us. It’s definitely a small world. I never even would have recognized them, but they recognized us right away. Jack made quite an impression, I guess, during our walks around the plane. They also happened to be the winners of our in-flight contest for a CD with the Hawaiian version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” which I was dying to win. I don’t usually give my iPhone to people to take a picture of me and Jack, even though they frequently offer when they see me snapping shots of him. But, seeing as we were old friends, I let them take our picture. So here’s a rare WanderTot shot of Jack AND mommy:

Then we took a stroll down Waikiki Beach, past the Duke Kahanamoku statue:

And down to this odd memorial with a beautiful front and everything behind in complete disrepair, just a few odds and ends sticking out of the ocean:

Then we went to the Waikiki Aquarium, which was OK, but definitely not a must-do. After an attempted nap at the hotel failed thanks to traffic noises and slamming doors, we took another walk down the beach and in the beautiful Kapiolani Park while Jack napped in the stroller. After yet more walking and swimming in the ocean, we witnessed the beautiful Waikiki Sunset, an attraction in its own right, with scores of camera-toting tourists watching.

Waikiki Beach definitely held up its reputation for beauty. It was also a great place to people watch, with an interesting blend of characters from all walks of life. There were lots of Japanese and American tourists, mixed in with the Hawaiian locals and tourists from around the world. There were limos and homeless people, surfers and families. Hawaii’s location between East and West, along with its obvious appeal to everyone, makes it the ideal place for different cultures to meet.

One of my favorite moments of the day was just before sunset when Jack went up to an elderly Japanese woman and started talking to her, holding up his flower and saying “flower.” She repeated it as best she could and the looked over at me apologetically and said, “Japanese. No English.” I could see she wanted to interact with him, but wasn’t quite sure how. I wanted to tell her it didn’t really matter what language she spoke to Jack; he just liked her. But she wouldn’t have understood me.

If you can swing a last-minute trip, now is a great time to come to my home state of Colorado, where Denver Arts Week 2009 kicks off November 6th and ski areas are opening early for the season after last week’s storm blanketed the mountains with snow.

Denver Arts Week features special events all week long at most of Denver’s popular attractions, plus a FREE Night at the Museums on Saturday, November 7th. Many hotels are offering special rates for Denver Arts Week, starting at $52.80. Restaurants are also offering special deals, from 50% off to $52.80 for a two-person dinner. If you’re wondering what’s up with all the deals for $52.80, they’re based on Denver’s famous mile-high elevation (5,280 feet). It’s definitely a popular marketing tool around here.

Denver’s version of Paris’s La Nuit des Musées, The Night at the Museums is definitely the highlight of this weeklong event for me. Eleven museums will be FREE and each will host something special for the occasion. Last year, we hit the Molly Brown House Museum (OK if you’re a history buff, but nothing much for kids), the Denver Art Museum (the Bubbaloo exhibit is a must-do for young kids) and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (dinosaurs, astronauts, mummies and more). We had just moved to Denver and it was a great way to explore the city’s cultural offerings. Plus, I love free stuff.

There are free shuttles that will take you from event to event, departing from Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Denver’s upscale mall with ample free parking and every local baby and toddler’s favorite hangout–a large play area with giant breakfast food to climb on.

There are tons of other events happening throughout the week. Check out the official Denver Arts Week website for details.

If you find yourself in the hip Capitol Hill neighborhood (near the Denver Art Museum) around mealtime, I recommend City O’ City, a cozy, hip little place with a to-die-for pizza made with apricot sauce and brie, excellent coffee, local brews and amazing baked goods, like chocolate-mint cupcakes. We are usually the only people with kids in the place, as its generally a younger crowd, but they do have a highchair and everyone has always been really nice to Jack.

Most of the time, a hotel is just where you go to sleep at night. But there are some hotels that are so much more than that. I love funky, unique hotels. I started collecting a list of unique hotels I would like to stay at someday and I thought I would share it with you all.

There are a lot of unique hotels out there, but not all of them are family-friendly. I’m not going to take my one-year-old to Sweden’s ICEHOTEL (umm, brrrrr) or the Jules Undersea Lodge (he has yet to get his scuba license) or the incredibly cramped capsule hotels in Japan. But not to worry, there are still plenty of incredibly unique options to choose from that the whole family will love.

Woodlyn Park, Otorohanga, New Zealand – OK, first of all, Woodlyn Park has this entertainer, Billy Black, who was a part of the world record-setting group that sheared the most sheep in one day (8,500, of which he sheared 675, if you were wondering). Billy Black puts on the “Kiwi Culture Show,” with sheep shearing, bush animals, the Kiwi bear and a dancing pig. Apparently, said dancing pig also holds a world record for being the first and only pig to rappel into the nearby Lost World Cave in Waitomo. He is also known for riding in a motorbike sidecar and being pig-napped just before appearing in a television ad. Can you say awesome?

Woodlyn Park also has an impressive assortment of unique hotel rooms. You can sleep in a train, a plane, a boat or even a Hobbit house. Each has its own unique style and history. The plane, for example, is a converted Bristol Freighter and was one of the last allied planes out of Vietnam. I’m not sure if I want to go once and change rooms every night or just go back again and again until I’ve tried them all.

Hang Nga Guest House and Gallery, Hanoi, Vietnam – Speaking of Vietnam, this little gem of a unique hotel is also known as the Crazy House. Built by the ex-President’s daughter, who studied architecture in Moscow, the stunning architecture is so unique, it’s a bit hard to describe. A bit of Gaudi influence maybe, with some fairy tales thrown in. Beautiful gardens surround elaborately sculpted “tree houses” with themed rooms and unexpected touches everywhere. Definitely worth a visit even if you don’t stay the night.

Magic Mountain Hotel, Huilo Huilo Nature Reserve, Chile – This unique hotel is shaped like a volcano, has a waterfall cascading down the side and tree house-inspired room decor. It’s also located in a beautiful nature preserve and has one of the top restaurants in Chile. But what really sold me on this one are the hot tubs. Imagine soaking in a huge, hallowed-out tree trunk filled with hot water, perched on a deck overlooking the forest. Count me in.

Dog Bark Park Inn, Cottonwood, Idaho – At Dog Bark Park, you and your family can sleep in the world’s largest beagle. Or the world’s second-largest beagle. You can’t really get any more kid-friendly than that. Inside the dog, you will find books, games and toys instead of a television and a phone. Cottonwood seems like a nice place to get away from it all. It’s not a destination with world-class museums or famous attractions, but it would be great for some good quality family time away from it all. There are a few museums nearby, including The Monastery of St. Gertrude & Historical Museum and the Bicentennial Historical Museum, in addition to a drive-in movie theater and plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventures, including jet boat tours and whitewater rafting.

Kakslauttanen Hotel & Igloo Village, Saariselka, Finland – I’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights, but being outside in sub-zero weather to watch them does not appeal to me. At all. Watching them from a heated glass igloo? Now we’re talking. There are no bathrooms in the glass igloos and it’s a bit of a trek to reach them from the main building, although they do provide you with a sled to transport your children and/or luggage. Still, it might be a bit too adventurous for families with young children. It would be great for older kids though. The hotel also has comfortable cabins, which most visitors choose to stay in for the majority of their trip with one night in an igloo.

With the hefty price tag for a ticket to many of the major theme parks, a trip to Orlando can be mighty expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. There are actually plenty of cheap things to do in Orlando. There are even discounts to be had at the major parks, especially in fall and winter when the older kids are back in school.

My one-and-a-half-year-old son Jack and I spent the last week in Orlando on the cheap. We found a three-star hotel room on Hotwire for six nights for $200 and a rental car for $75 from Payless. The hotel was nice enough and even had two playgrounds and three swimming pools. The rental car was a Yaris, a car that should possibly be reclassified as a toy car, which we spent two hours waiting in line to get, but hey, it was only $75 for a week. Then we set out to see what cheap Orlando had to offer. Here are some of the highlights:

• Orlando Science Center – $17 adult/$12 ages 3-11/Free under 3 – Quite the deal compared to theme park admission, the cheap Orlando Science Center has a lot to offer. We had only planned on spending the morning here, but we ended up staying all day since it was so cool. There was so much for a toddler to do!

In Kid’s Town, Jack worked on a car at the little body shop, picked (fake) oranges in an orange grove, cooked up a meal in the little kitchen, raced boats at the water table and more. At the Science Park exhibit, there were tons of interactive science exhibits even a toddler could participate in. We watched a tornado form, raced wooden cars down a large track, sent marbles spinning down a hole, experimented with electricity and watched as different sound waves appeared in a clear tube with small Styrofoam balls as different notes were played. The All Aboard exhibit was another excellent place for toddlers, with trains, planes and cars for them to play on, including a life-sized Brio train.

The cheap Orlando Science Center ticket included a show at the giant-screened CineDome theatre, so we went to see Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk for some midday downtime. Jack had never seen a movie before, but I thought we’d give it a try. I did have to hold down his seat, as he was too light to hold down the fold-down theatre seat. It would just fold back up on him, which we both thought was hilarious. So cute. To my surprise, Jack LOVED the movie and sat still and quiet through the entire thing. He was riveted. I loved it too. Besides the gorgeous scenery and amazing cinematography, the film features Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a soundtrack by the Dave Matthews Band and Robert Redford narrating.

There was so much more to do here, I can’t even list it all. I highly recommend this museum for babies through school-aged kids.

Note: The Orlando Science Center is located in Loch Haven Park, home to many other cheap Orlando activities. At RedChairProject.com, you can buy a 14-day pass for the Orlando Museum of Art, the Orlando Science Center and The Mennello Museum of American Art for just $25 for adults and $15 for kids.

• Gatorland – Half price after 3 p.m., regularly $22.99 adult/$14.99 ages 3-12/ Free under 3 – We took advantage of the half-price deal and were a bit rushed to see everything by the time they closed at 5 p.m. You could definitely spend the day at this cheap Orlando attraction. We saw lots of alligators and crocodiles, of course, including some albino alligators, and watched the Gator Jumparoo Show. There’s also a Gator Wrestlin’ Show and an Up Close Encounters Show, which we didn’t get a chance to see.

There’s much more here than just alligators, including a nice playground right next to a spray ground, a train ride ($2 extra for unlimited rides), snakes, swamp walks, an aviary, talking parrots and a petting zoo. The food is very affordable and the park is laid out very nicely with plenty of shade. There’s even fans all around the park that spray you with water.

Unlike the many cheap Orlando tourist attractions that sprung up after Disney World opened in 1971, Gatorland is one of the reasons tourists started coming to central Florida in the first place. Gatorland opened in 1949 and is still owned and operated by the same family today. Definitely worth a look.

• Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens – Museum: $5 adult/$3 student (12-college)/Free under 12, Gardens: Free for everyone – This cheap Orlando attraction is the perfect place for a picnic, with a peaceful lakeside setting, beautiful trees and plants and interesting sculptures. It was a very welcome change of pace from the other attractions. We meant to go into the museum to look around, but had to cut our trip short do to a toddler meltdown after our picnic. The gardens alone were well worth the visit though.

Note: There’s a Whole Foods just down the road from the museum for your picnic supplies.

• Downtown Disney – Free – Downtown Disney is Disney World’s dining and shopping destination, with free parking and free boat rides across the lake. There’s also a (very) small Disney train and a carousel here, which are $2 each for children and free for an adult to ride along. Of course, this could turn into a more expensive outing if you buy a lot of souvenirs, but is great cheap fun if you are content to window shop. I would recommend giving older kids their spending money BEFORE entering the shopping area to avoid any begging later. Then they can make their own decisions how to spend their money.

The best part of Downtown Disney was the LEGO Imagination Center, with tons of free stuff for kids to do. There are small round LEGO tables kids can play at, a LEGO car racing track and giant LEGO statues, including one in the lake, and even a playground.

There are also a bunch of fun restaurants here, including House of Blues, Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Café and T-REX, none of which are cheap, but you are saving money on the entertainment for the day. The Earl of Sandwich is a more affordable option. We went to the Rainforest Café. The food was really good and I thought the atmosphere was fun, but unfortunately Jack was terrified by the animatronic elephants. They were nice about moving us away from them though.

We also saw the cutest little girls getting made up like princesses at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, which I would HIGHLY recommend if you have a little girl. Packages start at around $50 for girls to get sparkly princess hair and makeup and a Bibbidy Bobbidi Boutique princess sash, which is a little pricey, but so worth it for a little girl to feel beautiful for a day. All the little princesses were positively beaming.

• WonderWorks & The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show – Combo tickets: $38.95 adults/$28.95 ages 4-12/Free under 4 – Billed as central Florida’s only upside-down attraction, you can see the coolest part of WonderWorks for free, so even if you decide not to pay to go in, it’s worth a stop to take a quick picture in front of this cheap Orlando attration.

While not nearly as cool as the Orlando Science Center, we had fun at the WonderWorks “museum for the mind.” Jack loved the Bubble Lab and the giant piano on the floor. There was a lot more to do for older kids, including a bed of nails, an earthquake simulator and a virtual roller coaster. We spend a few hours wandering around here before the dinner show.

The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show features all-you-can-eat pizza, salad, popcorn, beer, wine, soda and dessert, in addition to a very funny magic show with lots of audience participation. This is the dinner show the locals go to, and for good reason. Tony Brent had us all laughing pretty hard. Jack had a hard time sitting still for the show, but he laughed a few times and enjoyed some of the magic tricks.

• Disney World’s Magic Kingdom – Free on your birthday (See MouseSavers.com for other deals & pricing details) – The Magic Kingdom is not usually what you think of when you think of a cheap Orlando attraction, but it can be. Last Friday was my birthday, so we took advantage of Disney’s get in free on your birthday in 2009 promotion. Jack was free too, since kids under three get in free. This was our main motivation for traveling to Orlando and was definitely the best deal of the trip. If it’s too late for you to take advantage of this offer, you’ll be happy to know that Disney just released the details of their 2010 promotion, “Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.” Disney will be letting up to a million people into a Disney park for free for a day in exchange for a day of volunteer work.

We spent our day at the Magic Kingdom riding many of the classic rides like It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and many more. We also stayed for the Spectromagic Parade and the fireworks show. It was a fantastic way to spend my birthday and a very magical day for Jack. I wasn’t sure he was old enough to appreciate it, but as soon as we entered the park, his eyes lit up and he said, “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!”

Other Cheap Orlando Deals:

• Watch the “snow” fall for free in downtown Celebration, Florida at Christmastime.

• Check out the manatee preserve in Blue Spring State Park from November 15th through March 1st for $6 per vehicle.

• Wet ‘N Wild offers 1/2 price admission after 2 p.m. and currently has a deal where you pay for admission for one day ($44.95) and you get the rest of the year free.

• SeaWorld Orlando is offering an adult ticket at the child’s ticket price ($64.95), plus a second day free.

• SeaWorld’s water park, Aquatica, offers a similar deal, with an adult ticket for the child’s ticket price ($38.95).

• Busch Gardens is also offering an adult ticket at the child’s ticket price ($59.95).

• Universal Studios Orlando has a special deal for unlimited admission to both of their theme parks for seven consecutive days for $99.99 (that’s normally the price of a two-day/two-park ticket).

• Disney World recently unveiled a new deal for three nights (with tickets) free when you buy four nights with tickets at “moderate” and above resorts or two nights with tickets free when you buy five nights with tickets at a “value” resort.

• If you plan on visiting multiple attractions, research ticket bundles like the Orlando Flex Ticket, which includes admission to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Aquatica and SeaWorld for $234.95 for 14 days.

Please check the individual attraction’s website for full details of all the promotions, as some are only available online or only at the gate or require advance purchase, etc.

With beautiful weather, gorgeous beaches, interesting history, excellent parks and museums and kid-friendly attractions like the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld and LEGOLAND, San Diego is an ideal family vacation destination. My one-and-a-half-year-old son and I spent four days there earlier this month, soaking up the sun, going to SeaWorld and taking a trolley tour of the city.

We spent our first day in San Diego relaxing at our hotel, unwinding after a stressful morning of traveling. We got an amazing deal at the beautiful Paradise Point Resort. I kept waiting for someone to come tell us there had been a huge mistake and we were at the wrong hotel or something. Paradise Point Resort is on its own island in Mission Bay, with lush landscaping, lagoons and several gorgeous pools. It was perfect for taking little strolls with my toddler. The harbor view from the Barefoot Bar and Grill was gorgeous.

On our second day in San Diego, we walked about a mile to SeaWorld, where they’re running a special deal for an adult ticket at the kid’s ticket price PLUS a second day free. Jack fell asleep in his stroller on the way there. It was the first time he had fallen asleep in his stroller since he was a newborn! I’m sure it helped that he hadn’t slept well the night before, but I was SO glad. This meant we could spend more time at SeaWorld without having to hike all the way back to the hotel for a nap.

We went in as soon as he woke up and spent the whole day there, enjoying the animals and the Sesame Street Bay of Play. Check out all of our SeaWorld San Diego tips here. We headed back to the hotel for dinner and Jack fell asleep in his stroller again on the way! He was so conked out that I moved him to the hotel bed when we got back and he slept until morning.

The next day, after our morning stroll around the beach and lagoons, a trolley from Old Town Trolley Tours picked us up right in front of our hotel for a daylong on-off tour of San Diego. On our way, I caught a glimpse of an awesome playground right on the beach in Mission Bay Park. We never got a chance to go back to it, but it’s on my list for next time.

Then we headed to Old Town San Diego where the tour officially began. We had a few minutes to kill here and a stroll around showed many Mexican restaurants along with stores and carts full of souvenirs. Not much for kids to do here. We were happy to leave on the first trolley out.

Jack LOVED riding on the trolley. It had nice big open windows to enjoy the perfect San Diego weather and comfortable padded bench seats. The conductors were funny and I enjoyed their commentary, which included themed music for every stop. It was cheesy, but in a good way. The trolley makes 10 stops at points of interest around San Diego and you can get off at any stop and catch the next trolley. We didn’t have time to get off at every stop, but it was nice to drive by all the different attractions and see what else San Diego has to offer.

The first stop was at the San Diego harbor. Here we caught glimpse of some cool navy ships, the cruise ship terminal, the Star of India and the Maritime and USS Midway Museums. The USS Midway Aircraft Carrier—in other words, a BIG SHIP with PLANES on it—would be a great place to visit with kids. We were headed towards the next stop though, Seaport Village, to ride the carousel.

Seaport Village is a very cute, quaint little waterfront attraction with shops and restaurants. We spent an hour here, wandering around window-shopping at stores like Kite Flight, the Apple Box wooden toy store and Urban Girl Accessories; riding on the carousel a few times; and sharing a piece of pizza on a patio with a view of the ocean.

We hopped back on the trolley, skipping the next stop near the Children’s Museum, San Diego Convention Center and Petco Park, since the Children’s Museum was closed for remodeling. Jack took a nap as we passed by the Gaslamp Quarter and Bay Front Park and headed over the extremely tall Coronado Bay Bridge. I’m sure the view is gorgeous if you’re not deathly afraid of heights and riding in a trolley with huge open windows. Jack stayed asleep when we got off near the Hotel Del Coronado, so I got a chance to stroll around the historic Del (as it’s known by the locals) until he woke up and we headed down to the beautiful Coronado Beach.

According to our tour guide, Coronado Beach is one of the top beaches in the world for families. With its calm waves and sand sparkling with mica, I can see why. When you add in the cool military planes flying directly over the beach to land at the Naval Air Station, this beach is a kid’s dream come true. We could have spent all day here, splashing in the waves and playing with the sand, but there was still one more stop I wanted to hit: Balboa Park.

Balboa Park is incredible. This 1,200-acre park is home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo, beautiful architecture, cool museums, lush gardens and beautiful fountains. The park is so big it has its own visitor’s center and so nice that the bathroom has flowers and lit candles in it. I would love to come for longer next time and get the Passport to Balboa Park, a seven-day pass to your choice of 13 museums for only $39.

As it was, we only had an hour at the park before the last trolley back to the hotel, so we headed for the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, a highly interactive science museum filled with hands-on exhibits for kids. Jack had such a blast here turning wheels and grocery shopping at Kid City.

We caught the trolley back to the hotel for dinner and an early bedtime after a long day of fun. The trolley tour was a great value. We did so much in one day and only spent $32 on the trolley tour, $3 on pizza and $10 on admission to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. We were in San Diego such a short time, but we got a little taste of everything thanks to this tour. Plus, we saved a lot of money by not renting a car.

On our last day in San Diego, we took advantage of our second day free at SeaWorld before taking off back to Denver, where the weather had decidedly turned cold for fall. I miss the gorgeous San Diego weather. Good thing we’re off to Orlando next! Stay tuned . . .

Last week, I took advantage of SeaWorld San Diego’s current deal for an adult ticket at the kid’s price ($55) plus a second day free. Since my son is under two, he got in for free both days. We had a blast. Here’s what we learned:

Shows

“Believe: The Spectacular Shamu Show,” which is indeed spectacular, is an obvious must-see at SeaWorld, even if you only catch the first five minutes of it while chasing your toddler up and down the bleacher stairs. Is it weird that I think killer whales are beautiful? Because I do. This show captures their beauty, contrasts it with their awesome power and adds the amazement of their training.

Unless the park is so crowded that you’re worried about getting a seat at all, there’s no need to follow everyone’s advice to get to the show at least half an hour early unless you really want to sit front and center. In my opinion, it works much better to just go in right before the show starts, especially for young children who won’t want to sit and wait a half hour. I suppose one parent could save seats for the family, but really you can see just fine from anywhere.

I thought Jack would really enjoy the “Pets Rule!” show, and I think he might of if it weren’t for the extremely loud music. I actually had to cover his ears. And, FYI, for the animal’s safety, once the pet show starts, you’re not allowed to leave. So, that was a fun 20 minutes.

The “Sea Lions LIVE” show is funny for older kids and adults, but relies very heavily on pop culture. Since Jack has no idea what CSI and American Idol are, he was not very interested.

The best show for toddlers and preschoolers is definitely the Sesame Street presents Lights, Camera, Imagination! 4-D movie. Jack didn’t want anything to do with the 3-D glasses, but happily watched the blurry 2-D picture. The 4-D aspect was neat, but scary to some younger kids and babies, as water shoots at you suddenly.

Sesame Street Bay of Play

I wish we had spent more of our time here instead of at some of the shows. This two-acre Sesame Street-themed play area has tons of stuff for younger kids to do. There are three rides: “Elmo’s Flying Fish,” ”Oscar’s Rocking Eel” and “Abby’s Sea Star Spin.” Kids under 48″ can ride these with an adult, but they were still a bit too much for my one-and-a-half-year-old son. There are some other parts of the play area with height restrictions, but there’s plenty for kids of any height to do, including a sand play area, a soft “pool” with soft blocks, nets to climb on, water fountains, tunnels and even an area to play musical instruments.

Note: Sesame Street Bay of Play opens an hour AFTER the rest of the park; so don’t plan on going there first thing.

Animal Exhibits

The animal exhibits are very nicely done. The highlights are definitely “Rocky Point Preserve,” ”Wild Arctic,” “Penguin Encounter” and “Manatee Rescue.”

At “Rocky Point Preserve” you can go right up to the dolphin pool. You can even pet and feed the dolphins for $6. I couldn’t believe that! I always thought you had to pay hundreds of dollars to get that close to a dolphin anywhere. There is an age requirement though (I think it’s 6?), so we’ll have to save that until Jack is older. The sea otters right next to the dolphins are also a must-see.

“Wild Arctic” has polar bears, walruses and beluga whales as you wind through a cool building with helicopters and boxes and stuff to make it feel as if you are on an arctic expedition. Jack loved the blinking red lights, of course. I was thrilled to be able to check off #51 on my bucket list to see a beluga whale, although I would still like to see one in the wild someday.

“Penguin Encounter” cracked me up. It was EXACTLY like the penguin enclosure in Happy Feet. They obviously based the enclosure in the movie on this one, but it was just funny to see something from a cartoon in real life. The penguins were funny too.

“Manatee Rescue” was Jack’s favorite. When he hears me telling someone about San Diego or SeaWorld, he immediately chimes in with, “Man-a-tee! Man-a-tee!” They were pretty darn cute. We saw two of them kissing a few times and another one was just floating around in circles, which Jack thought was hilarious. Expect a lot of questions if you have older kids, as these animals have been rescued and many have obviously been pretty mangled. This exhibit made me feel good about spending the money on the hefty entry fee, if even just a small part of it goes toward SeaWorld’s conservation and rescue efforts. Very cool.

Rides

There are several rides Jack and I didn’t go on, two because Jacks too little and two because they cost extra. “Journey to Atlantis” is part roller coaster, part water ride and looks like it would be a lot of fun. If you go as a family, you could take turns riding it while one parent stays at the “Bay of Play” with the kids. Same goes for the “Shipwreck Rapids,” which also looks really fun. On this one, you splash through rapids in a chair on a raft. For an extra $3 (or $5 for both), you can ride across beautiful Mission Bay in the “Bayside Skyride” or go up in the “Skytower” to see the San Diego skyline for up to 100 miles in every direction.

Finding your way around

The way SeaWorld is laid out makes no sense at all (at least to me), especially since they are doing construction right now right in the middle of the park. So to get from one side to the other, you have to go ALL the way around. Plus, all the signs are wrong thanks to the construction. We got lost over and over trying to get to the different shows. I wish we would have just done everything on one side and then the other instead of wandering around trying to find a specific exhibit or show.

Other SeaWorld tips

• Since SeaWorld is owned by Anheuser Busch, you can see the famed Budweiser Clydesdales here in addition to ocean life. You can also get a cold beer pretty much anywhere in the park.

• Be sure to check SeaWorld’s website or call about attraction closures before you go. I saw many excited people come up to the “Journey to Atlantis” ride, only to be terribly disappointed to find it closed for maintenance.

• Before we went, I heard all about the terrible, overpriced food, which I kind of expect at a park like this. We did have some not-so-great food, but we got some good pizza at Mama Stella’s at our last meal there. Next time, I’m only eating there.

• Expect to get wet. Bring ponchos if you want to sit up front at a show. Bring ziplock bags for your camera and phone, just in case. And bring swimsuits and swim diapers for the kids to splash around at the “Sesame Street Bay of Play.”

• Don’t forget the sunscreen! There is very, very little shade at SeaWorld.

• Speaking of the sun and heat, go to the left when you enter the park in the morning and save the right side for when it gets hotter. Then you can cool down at attractions like “Wild Arctic” and “Penguin Encounter” in the afternoon.

• Members of the military and up to three of their dependents can get complimentary admission for a single day in 2009. SeaWorld also does a nice tribute to members of the military at the beginning of the Shamu show.

Estes Park is an ideal family destination located an hour and a half from Denver and just miles away from Rocky Mountain National Park. It is also the home of The Stanley Hotel, a gorgeous hotel built by the inventor of the Stanley Steamer in 1904 and the inspiration for Steven King’s The Shining.

The Stanley Hotel has a rich history, boasting stays from the likes of Titanic survivor Molly Brown and Theodore Roosevelt, in addition to the many reports of hauntings. The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) of the SyFy show Ghost Hunters have investigated the hotel and declared it to be “definitely haunted.” A stay at the hotel is nice if you can afford it; if not, there are plenty of other family-friendly accommodations, including themed campgrounds and lodges with playgrounds. Be sure to stop by to walk around and eat a meal at their excellent restaurant though.

Downtown Estes Park is full of cute little shops and restaurants. It’s easy to spend a few hours wandering around here. Kids love the Taffy Shop, where you can watch the taffy puller stretching and condensing the candy. If you’re lucky, you might also catch one of the many fairs held during the summer months. There happened to be one going on during our late-August stay, with an excellent petting zoo, mainly cowboy- and Native American-themed vendors and, best of all, a Stanley Steamer, which Jack got to “drive.” If you don’t catch the Steamer at a fair, be sure to check out the Stanley Museum.

Just past downtown, you will find Fun City, a family fun center with giant slides, bumper cars, mini golf, bumper boats, go-karts, climbing wall and a bungee trampoline. Be sure to try the donut shop next door! Also, across the street is the Estes Park Aerial Tramway, a tram car that takes you to the top of a mountain for breathtaking views.

Near Lake Estes, you will find Trout Haven, a fully stocked rainbow trout pond. Great for your kid’s first time fishing, they actually guarantee you will catch something. They will also clean and cook your fish to enjoy at their pondside cafe. Jack is still to young for this, but I still remember catching my first fish here. Also nearby you will find Ride-A-Kart, with a train ride, go-karts, bumper boats, batting cages, train, extreme bungee trampoline, bumper kars, mini golf and an arcade. Jack loved riding the train and bumper boats and playing Skee Ball in the arcade.

Estes is also the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, which also offers many family-friendly options. Bear Lake has an easy half-mile hike even the youngest family members will enjoy. The parking at the trailhead is extremely limited, so take the free shuttle unless you plan on getting there really early. Trail Ridge Road is also worth checking out; we took a drive up the road during Jack’s nap and, while I’m not usually one for scenic drives (yawn), this was truly breathtaking. There are also tons of places to get out and take pictures, so it’s not just driving.

Summer is definitely the best time to go to Estes Park, but it’s not to late to catch it this year. In fact, it might be the perfect getaway for Labor Day. Most attractions will close for the season sometime in mid-September. During the winter, Estes can be a peaceful retreat with deep discounts at the hotels, but there’s definitely more for families to do in the summer months.

From the moment my toddler and I got on the shuttle bus to the Las Vegas Strip until the flight home, I had a conversation very similar to this with everyone we met:

“Are you visiting family here in Vegas?”

“No.”

“Oh, well, where is your husband?”

“At home working.”

“So, you just came on a vacation to Vegas with your baby?”

“Yes.”

I can see why people thought it was strange. They were in Vegas to indulge in any number of sins and just don’t think of  it as a family-friendly destination. But it is. Las Vegas can be one of the cheapest family vacations around. Since hotels there will do just about anything to get you to walk in their doors (and hopefully gamble away all your money), you can find a nice room plus lots of extras for super cheap and then visit free or cheap attractions at other hotels. Not including airfare, we spent around $200 for a three night vacation.

I found a deal at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall for around $35 a night for a nice, clean hotel room right on the famous intersection of Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard. Plus, I booked it on Orbitz in order to get a coupon book with $700 worth of savings. I also took advantage of an Orbitz discount code for another 10% off. Talk about an affordable vacation.

Bill’s is a great place to stay with kids. It’s a small hotel, unlike some others in Las Vegas that are like cities in themselves. This meant that from our room, we just took the elevator down, stepped out the doors and we were on the strip. No mile-long hike through a smoky casino. Also, we had no wait to check in. Other Las Vegas hotels can have you in line for an hour. Plus, room service was really affordable, which was so great. I could just order up some milk for Jack before bed or breakfast in the morning.

Also, Bill’s has no pool of their own, but with your room key you have access to one of the best pools in Vegas next door at the Flamingo. There are waterfalls and slides and a nice shallow ledge for tots to crawl on. There’s also a free Wildlife Habitat near the pool area that’s worth going to see. If you get hungry at the Flamingo, avoid the overpriced, tasteless buffet and check out Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.

One of the few attractions we paid for while we were there was Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage. In addition to dolphins, this is also home to the famed white tigers and lions, along with some alpacas and various other animals. Well worth the $15.

We also paid $4 a ride at the Adventuredome, billed as the world’s largest indoor amusement park. The Adventuredome itself is pretty nice. Jack LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. He wanted to ride the ferris wheel with balloon-shaped cars over and over. However, the Adventuredome is located inside Circus Circus, which is scary, creepy, stinky and just generally yucky. Above the casino, they have some circus acts and carnival games, but it’s not worth seeing in my opinion. Just walk FAST through the casino, straight to the Adventuredome.

We spent the rest of our time checking out the various free family attractions Vegas has to offer, including the gorgeous Bellagio Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, the Bellagio Fountains and the Imperial Palace Auto Collections (there is a charge to get in here, but you can easily find a free coupon).

We also went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas, which we had a free coupon for. It is a good view, but Jack could have cared less about it and we had to wait in line forever in order to get the elevator back down. And we went on a Tuesday during the day. I can’t imagine what it’s like during peak hours. But you must go to Paris for the buffet! Awesome.

There are tons of other family-friendly Las Vegas attractions that we didn’t have a chance to see. There’s the Shark Reef aquarium at Mandalay Bay, the Lion Habitat and Rainforest Cafe at MGM Grand, gondola rides at the Venetian, and for older kids there’s Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, the roller coaster at New York New York, Blue Man Group and more. I guess we’ll be back again!