I hope you are all well and spring has finally sprung in the USA!
So, it's only about 8 weeks until we leave for the USA, so I thought I might see if you have any tips for where we should go.
Obviously, we will do a lot of the touristy type stuff, but I'd like to fit in a few 'different' activities too. In New York, I thought we would go to the High Line, which is an old elevated track which is now a wild garden. I think both kids will love that.
In Washington... WHICH museum???? There appear to be LOADS of them!!
Chicago, I think is sorted - we are going to see Sue the T-Rex, as Harry has developed a fascination with dinosaurs too!
Denver, we are going to the Georgetown Loop railroad.
Anyone got any tips for 'train related' fun days out? (or dinosaurs!)
If we've time, we will fit in a trip to the Medina model railroad in Buffalo too.
We are planning to see a submarine in Vancouver... But really open to any and all ideas.
Hope you are all well.
Kacy. x
Posts: 69 | From: UK | Registered: Nov 2012
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Kacy -- most of the museums in Washington DC are within walking distance of Union Station. I would recommend the Natural History Museum and the Air & Space Museum (both of these are part of the Smithsonian)
In Chicago, "Sue" the T-Rex is at the Field Museum -- a short taxi ride from CUS.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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For Denver, I'd call up Ira Slotkin (I think he gave you his phone #) and ask him the best way to do that city. Tom
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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If you have time for only two museums in Washington, I would go for the Air & Space Museum and the National Museum of American History.
Both are located on the Mall and can be reached from Union Station easily on the DC Metro. Take the RED Line train towards Shady Grove, disembark at the METRO CENTER station, and get the Blue or Orange line trains two stations south to the SMITHSONIAN station.
RRRich does make a good suggestion with the Natural History Museum as well. I did not include that on my list because it is similar in scope to the Field Museum which you plan to see in Chicago.
And....... if you have loads of free time in DC, you could take the Red Line in the opposite direction, change to the Green line, and go out to College Park where a short ride on the UM Shuttle will land you on the campus of my alma mater, the University of Maryland.
I suppose the highlight of visiting UMCP would be rubbing Testudo's nose for good luck on your trip. In this case, Testudo is a statue of a terrapin, the university mascot, located in front of McKeldin Library. Testudo's nose is very shiny from more the 75 years worth of rubbing during exam week!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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If I had time for only ONE Museum in DC, I would choose the Museum of American History because one room there is filled with trains.... and I prefer looking at trains as opposed to airplanes!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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In DC: Museum of American History - First Ladies' Inaugural gowns, "star Spangled Banner", notable autos and big steam locomotive, original Automat. Museum of natural History - wildlife dioramas, skeletons of dinosaurs plus woolly mamoth, giant sloth, saber - toothed cat, Hope Diamond. Air and Space - Wright Brothers' Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, Apollo 11, X-1, X-15, DC3, Skylab, German V1 and V2 rockets, artifacts from Hindenburg, planes from World War 1, World War 2. Which ones fit your interest?
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Maybe the International Spy Museum in Downtown DC. It has items of espionage from spies real(the Rosenbergs) to make - believe (James Bond).
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Denver, remember the Children's Museum near the train station area...... also the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, CO has a nice collection of narrow gauge railroad rolling stock as well as a nice library and gift shop.
Golden is on the way to/from Georgetown..... the one concern being that the museum's focus may be 'too similar' to what you will already be experiencing with the Georgetown Loop.
ALSO - Denver may be the opportunity for the family to take in a Major League American Baseball Game if the Colorado Rockies are at home while you're in town. The baseball stadium is practically just across the tracks from the temporary Denver Amtrak Station.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Regarding the High Line in NYC, it's lovely, but be sure to get there early in the morning (before 10AM) and preferably a week day, because it's hugely popular and gets quite crowded. I'd also recommend a boat ride around Manhattan. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is pretty cool--esp the Egyptian section and the new American wing, plus rooftop sculptures--and unlike other museums in NY, though the listed entry price is high, they have a very nice policy of saying it is "suggested" but allowing you to pay what you can afford. Central Park (near the museum etc.) is very nice too. Across the park is the American Museum of Natural History, with a VERY famous dinosaur bone collection; but it's pricey and I wouldn't bother with so much else to do. . . . plenty of other dinosaur bones in DC (free) or Chicago.
The Spy Museum in DC is a lot of fun, though it has a fee. Most other museums in DC are free. Natural History (part of the Smithsonian) has some very fine dinosaur bones, as noted, and a good mineral & gem collection, among other things; plus, there is a special exhibit about the digs at Jamestown that has lots of old bones and forensic info on ID'ing them that I think your kids may find really cool. American History (another Smithsonian) has some cool old trains etc., but, depending on the time, the First Ladies gowns there can be so mobbed you won't want to wait in line. The Library of Congress is pretty neat to see, and from there you can walk through to the visitors center at the Capitol, which is also worth seeing (unless lines are huge).
If you go to the free Natural History in DC, you may have had enough of the dinosaur bones and not want to pay for the Field Museum in Chicago! But it's cool too. Be sure to see the Bean at Millennium Park. The Chicago architecture folks (in the Santa Fe building) offer cool boat tours and also one on the Loop. Segway tours are also popular in Chicago and seem like fun, though I've never done one.
Denver is actually kinda boring, IMO, and the train station is being worked on so there is a temporary one of little interest. There's the mint and the capitol, or maybe you can take a bus tour to Rocky Mt Park? Of better yet, if your tinerary isn't fully set, I would recommend stopping in Glenwood Springs instead, a small mountain town with inexpensive hot baths, fun to visit.
Vancouver's a beautiful city.
Whatever you do, have fun!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Denver has a theme park called Elitch Gardens where I'm sure the kids won't mind spending a day. Check it out: http://elitchgardens.com/
There are also Six Flags theme parks near Washington, New York, and Chicago, but Elitch Gardens is right next to downtown Denver and can be reached by Denver's light rail system.
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Thanks for correcting my typo, Goegg--I meant the MINT in Denver and will fix my post so as not to confuse.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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If you don't have three hours for the cruise around Manhattan, Circle Line also offers a half - circle tour later in the afternoon, going halfway around the island then turning around. When it passes Lower Manhattan on the return, the Sun has set and the buildings are all lit up. The Brooklyn Bridge looks like it is made of a string of pearls, and the Statue of Liberty's torch and crown are illuminated. The boat's PA system plays New York - themed songs, giving a wonderful mood to the pasengers. You won't go wrong with either tour. Then maybe go to the top of either the Empire state Building or Rockefeller Center for a look at all of New York at night.
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Consider an overnight in Glenwood Springs, west of Denver. The Amtrak Station is just across from the Glenwood Springs Pool, a huge and wonderful environment for all ages. You will also find a large assortment of other family-oriented activities, including white water rafting adjacent to Amtrak's scenic route through Glenwood Canyon. Frequent local bus service connects the station area to Aspen.
posted
Totally concur with Sojourer's opinion of Vancouver. Take an all-day ferry/bus tour to Victoria and Butchart Gardens. Expensive but so worth it.
We will have 3 days in Manhattan, but that's not to say I trust my son on a boat for 3 hours, so the 30 minute trip sound idea. I will check that out.
THe mint sounds brilliant. I've always been a bit fascinated by the US currency. Do you know that you have the least protected currency in the world? Or that over 3% of your economy is fraudulent? I used to work in anti counterfeit R&D for De La Rue, so I know quite a bit about holograms and security threads etc., In the second world war, Germany infiltrated the UK with loads of counterfeit £5, which is why we have so much security. Same happened between Iran and Iraq and Pakistan and India (respectively, obviously). Apparently your economy is big and stable enough to cope with it. So, would be keen to visit the mint.
Love the ideas on Vancouver too. Got to push the boat out a bit, as it's unlikely we'll be back in the area any time soon.
GBN - I am going to message you now.
Kacy x
Posts: 69 | From: UK | Registered: Nov 2012
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Oh, and we have a couple of days in Glenwood springs - think everyone will enjoy the break there.
Posts: 69 | From: UK | Registered: Nov 2012
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If this is what you mean by 'pushing the boat out a bit', the Victoria, BC tour out of Vancouver suggested by DonNadeau is worth a day if you can spare it.
My wife and I spent three days in Victoria in 2004 as part of a larger vacation which included time in Seattle and Winnipeg. Now, nearly a decade later, we still regard Victoria to have been the highlight of that trip and one of our best vacation memories ever.
The bus driving on to the ferry is really neat. The scenery from the ferry (passengers are allowed off the bus to go up to the upper decks) is some of the finest I have ever seen and it's particularly exciting when two of the ferries going opposite directions meet in one of those surprisingly narrow interior passages.
OK - to be honest, in my wife's opinion it was possibly our best vacation ever. In my opinion, without Victoria our ride on the Canadian would have been just another nice train ride!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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The mint makes coins, not currency. But - if you are interested in the printing of the real stuff - that is done in Washington at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and they have free tours.
Posts: 28 | From: Alexandria VA 22315 | Registered: Apr 2001
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