This is the perfect time of year for a city getaway. The ski season is winding down, the weather is enticing and the crowds of tourists have not yet invaded. Despite the fact that we live in a great city, some of our most rewarding family holidays have resulted when we flee New York . . . for another city. Cultural, educational and recreational opportunities abound and there’s always something that will please each family member. City diversions offer plenty of hands-on activities that appeal to kids of all ages and so many activities are free or inexpensive! Just walking Albuquerque’s Old Town, the Las Vegas Strip or San Francisco’s Embarcadero is a fun, impromptu history lesson. Urban vacations offer bang for the buck in many ways, with Convention & Visitors Bureaus suggesting hotel/air/attraction package deals. You’ll rarely need a car — except to visit outlying attractions and in those cities where public transportation is limited. Best of all, cities beg to be explored by foot, one neighborhood at a time. Many larger cities offer some kind of discount booklet or card. The most famous is the CityPass (which nets sightseeing savings in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities). Another option is with gocardusa.com — where tourists can buy a card that offers access to attractions in a number of cities, including three that are in our round-up: Las Vegas, San Francisco and Seattle. For example, the gosanfranciscocard features more than 45 attractions and tours and also includes 20% savings at many shopping and dining venues plus a free color guidebook. One to five-day passes start at $49/adult, $29/ages 3-12. A goseattlecard covers over 30 attractions and tours and includes the same discounts and guidebook mentioned above. The card can be purchased at viator.com for use after 5/1/05. Cards are offered for 1, 2, 3 5, or 7 days, which mist be consecutive. Rates range from $39/adult/1 day, $19/ages 312/1 day to $109/adult/5 days, $69/child/5 days. Prices go up about $10 each beginning 7/1. Viator.com also sells a Las Vegas Power Pass for 1, 2, 3 or 5 days. This pass is similar and it also frequently allows pass holders to skip the line at attractions. Prices start at $50/day/adult, $35/child, $150/5 days/adult, $120/child. There are also a number of books aimed at visiting cities with kids in tow. Four series come to mind: Fodor's Around . . . With Kids: 68 Great Things to do Together are family guides put together in an A to Z directory. While they offer terrific informaiton, we find them strangely organized. After all, who visits a city from A to Z? The series includes both domestic and international cities, all with the same format. The Frommer family guides are not simply activity round-ups but offer a more comprehensive approach, from general traveling with kids tips to lodging, dining and doing — the works! There are several city-specific guides. Editions from the Fun With the Family series from Globe Pequot Press are generally statewide guides, but there is an edition just for Las Vegas. There are also some really fantastic on-line resources. Our two favorites are urbanbaby.com and gocitykids.com. Both urbanbaby.com and gocitykids.com cover three cities in our group — Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle — gocitykids.com also covers Albuquerque. So come with us and visit 10 American cities – some quite large, others quite small; some tourist meccas; others known best by locals. We hope you’ll find at least one that beckons. In each city we’ve highlighted some sights and sounds, places to stay and dining suggestions to please all palates, plus some sources and resources. In our round-up:
When visiting any city with kids in tow, we recommend not trying to do it all. Plan your days so that you’re not running from one side of the city to the other; know where there are parks and playgrounds for little ones to let off energy, and save the most child-friendly activity for the afternoon. (Kids have more patience in the morning and parents can always lure kids with the promise that the next visit is just what they are looking forward to). Don’t forget your stroller, even if your child rarely uses one anymore. While your child rests, you can continue to enjoy your getaway.
And, always remember, IT’S NOT HOW MUCH YOU DO BUT HOW MUCH FUN YOU HAVE DOING IT!
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