Agriculture Lesson #5: Pike Place Market - Seattle, Washington

If you visit Seattle, you'll likely shop at the city's #1 attraction - Pike Place Market.  It's a great way to talk about agriculture with your kids because it's the place where producers and consumers meet.  It began by farmers as a way to cut out the middleman.  With an opening in 1907, it is one of the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country.

You'll look for the iconic red "Public Market Center" sign with clock above the building.  Before you enter the market, you can do good by donating your change to the bronze cast piggy bank.  Rachel the Piggy Bank serves as the market mascot and a way to collect money to the Pike Place Market Foundation.  The foundation provides many services including a food bank, senior center support, and preschool financial assistance.  The piggy bank has raised over $200K.

Once in the market, you don't need to go far to see the fishmongers

throwing salmon over the counter.  It began as a way to increase efficiency and now seen as the iconic action in the market.  You might have seen such action on shows such as Frasier and The Learning Channel (TLC).  While the market has fame for fish, you can find so much beautiful, bright colored produce and flowers too.  If you can't buy food that will spoil, look for pasta, nuts, and chocolates.  With over 500 shops, you'll also find crafts and a variety of restaurants, including ethnic - Persian, Thai, Japanese, Mexican, and Italian.  

Walk around the market building too and you'll enjoy views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.  I kept on walking.  It can take less than ten minutes from the market to reach Pier 59.

In my article about the Frankfurt, Germany market, I listed the top farmers' markets according to Frommer book.  Of course, Pike Place Market makes the list.  When Country Living magazine made it's list of top 14 markets per "The Best Farmers' Markets in America" article, Pike Place listed at the top.  Here's their full list:

1.  Pike Place Farmers' Market - Seattle, Washington, June-November

2.  Historic Soulard Farmers' Market - St. Louis, Missouri, year-round Wed.-Sat., since 1779

3.  Crescent City Farmers Market - New Orleans, Louisiana, Tue.-Sat.

4.  Union Square Farmers Market - New York, New York, Sat. until Nov. 23

5.  Baltimore Farmers' Market & Bazaar - Baltimore, Maryland, April-Dec.

6.  Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market - Brattleboro, Vermont, Sat. Nov. - March

7.  Charleston Farmers' Market - Charleston, South Carolina, Sat., April - Dec.

8.  Des Moines Downtown Farmers' Market - Des Moines, Iowa, Sat., May - Oct.

9.  Portland Farmers Market at PSU - Portland, Oregon, Sat.

10.  Rowayton Farmers' Market - Rowayton, Connecticut, Fri.

11.  Sag Harbor's Fair Foods Farmers' Market - Sag Harbor, New York - Sat.

12.  Green City Market - Chicago, IL Lincoln Park, year-round, outdoors May-Nov.

13.  Aspen Saturday Market - Aspen, Colorado, Sat. June-Oct.

14.  West Tisbury Farmers' Market - West Tisbury, Massachusetts, Sat. & Wed, June - Aug.

Social Sciences & Economics: 5 Free Places to Learn About Money

 Economics, a branch of social science, studies human behavior and scare means.  This article dedicated to my friend working in the Congressional Budget Office in DC.

Kids can learn about goods and resources every time we go shopping and discuss income and expenses.  There's so much more to discuss.  Economist study business climate, the labor market, drivers in fluctuations in oil prices, inflation, and foreign exchange.  President Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act in 1913.  The US needed a system to stabilize markets, promote financial stability, and setting monetary policy.  Consumers needed confidence and protection and federal banks could ensure banks remained compliant with consumer protection laws.  Bank mergers and acquisitions could be reviewed at the federal level.  The economist and government helped identify solutions to the stock market crash of 1929 and 1987 and financial crisis of 2007-2008.

History, economics, politics, and business can come together in stories.  In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt needed to rebuild confidence in banking and Congress passed the Emergency Banking Act.  It allowed twelve Federal Reserve Banks to issue additional currency.  Later, the 1933 Banking Act formed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

If you want to bring the concepts alive, consider visiting a money museum.  Please note you'll need to pass security and show government-issue photo id for such government run money museums.  We took the kids to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City The Money Museum (1 Memorial Drive, open 9:30-4PM).  When you enter, you'll see the Harry S. Truman Coin Collection containing over 500 historic coins.  The exhibit includes a $40 million wall with $40 million stacked up.  See a gold bar worth nearly $500K (depends on the timing).  Kids also learn about counterfeit at an exhibit explaining security features designed in currency.  At the end, the employees gave each kid a small bag of shredded cash.  That may have created the most excitement.

Here's five more free entrance places to learn about the economy and banking:

1. Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York, NY (44 Maiden Lane), M-F 1 & 2PM one hour tours, limited space for public tours and registration opens 30 days prior to requested date, no strollers, no late entrance, security screening first 

2. Atlanta Money Museum, Atlanta, GA (1000 Peachtree Street NE), M-F 9AM-4PM self-guided tours, M-F guided tours at 9:30 AM, 11AM, and 1PM, vie of the banks' automated vault and cash processing area, see robotic transportation, see where dollars are counted, sorted, and shredded daily

3.  Chicago Fed's Money Museum, Chicago, IL (Federal Reserve Bank on 230 South LaSalle St), M-F 8:30-5PM, 45 minute self guided tour, 30 minute guided tour M-F 1PM

4.  Detroit Branch Visitors Center, Detroit, MI (1600 East Warren Avenue), M-Thur. 9AM-4PM, one hour tours

5.  The Denver Money Museum, Denver, CO, (1020 16th St), free, kids can use crayons to design currency, learn the history of the Federal Reserve

Art Lesson #8: Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle Washington

For a short history of glass art, your kids will find it interesting that glassmakers were once forbidden to leave Venice or teach their skills to foreigners.  It's interesting how change creates new connections.  The secrecy of the craft was maintained until 1962.  Harvey Littleton started teaching glass blowing at the University of Wisconsin in 1962 and Dale Chihuly was enrolled in the first glass program.  Chihuly was the first American invited to work at Veneni glass factory in Venice.  In 1998, Chihuly created Chihuly Over Venice exhibit and installed them over canals and piazzas of Venice.  His art connected him back to Venice.  

The year 1962 wasn't only the first glass program in the United States, it was also the year Seattle hosted the World's Fair.  Ever since then, the Space Needles has remained an icon.


  Born in Washington, Chihuly was invited by the Wright family who owns the Space Needle to present his work.  In 2011, the Chihuly Garden and Glass construction began.  Chihuly repurposed an existing building on 1.5 acres near the Space Needle for a long-term exhibit.  His art connected back to his community.

You and your family will really enjoy the visually spectacular space and glass of the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit in the Seattle Center.  While it's not close to free admission ($32 per adult, $49 package with nearby Space Needle), it's such a unique experience to see Chihuly art both inside and outside.  I've seen his art in botanical garden installation, but not the close up exhibit which includes his Macchia series.  Macchias was one of his collections in the 1980s, along with Seafoams, Venetians, and Persians.  Macchia comes from the Latin word macula meaning a stain or spot. Chihuly began Macchia with an inspiration to use all 300 colors in his hotshop, fusing colored glass chips on the the exterior layer to create a spotted effect.  If you want to buy a Macchia art piece, it will cost you 6 to 9 thousand dollars.  Now the $32 entrance doesn't sound too bad.

After buying your ticket, you will enter the indoor exhibits which includes eight galleries.  In a dark room, the Chihuly glass in vibrant color lights up the room.  Other people walked into the room and we all stared in silence.  Ikebana and Float Boats pictured here is one of the two wooden boats used as a base for the exhibit.  Chihuly presented his first chandelier piece at t 1992 exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum.  In Seattle, you can see impressive chandeliers hanging from the ceiling at this location.  A green one, a blue and white one, a red one, and the green one photographed here.

You'll proceed to the glass house.  There is something about art combined with space and light that has a wow factor and luxurious feel.  The 40-foot tall glass and steel structure covers 4,500 feet.  Light fills the room and you'll admire the 100-foot long orange and yellow glass sculpture suspended above you.  

You'll continue to see different art pieces in the gardens outside such as icicle towers and reeds on logs.  I was fortunate to time my visit right to a live glass demonstration.  While in Seattle, I also recommend you visit Pike Place Market and it's free entry!  Read my blog story about my experience.

Gym Class #10: 4 Trampoline Development Centers

Photo by Krenda

Want to get their hearts pumping?  Go to a trampoline facility and let them soar.

According to CNN, trampoline is one of the 10 strangest Olympic Sports, along with 1) solo synchronized swimming, 2) club swimming, 3) tug-o-war, 4) live pigeon shooting, 5) swimming obstacle course, 6) roller skating, 7) la canne (canes, similar to fencing), 8) rope climbing, and 9) race walking.  The vast majority have not been included in recent Olympic games.  However, trampoline is fairly recent.

London England held the first Trampoline World Championships (1964).  Sydney, Australia hosted the first Olympics to feature trampoline (2000).  Did you know the inventor learned from a kangaroo and actually jumped with a kangaroo on his trampoline?  Your little joey can have so much fun too. 

Trampoline offers much more challenge than who can jump highest.  Try a half turn, tuck jump, straddle jump, and seat drop.  For the gymnasts, they may jump as high as 33 feet and show off other tricks: 
1) Barani - front somersault with a half-twist
2) Cody - backward somersault from the front
3) Quadriffis- any quadruple somersault from the front.

USA Gymnastics chooses a limited number of clubs as Trampoline Development Centers, encouraging competitive trampoline sport.  In 2016, USA Gymnastics chose the following four clubs:
1.  De Veau's School of Gymnastics in Indianapolis, IN
2.  Mini Hops Gymnastics in Plymouth, MN
3.  Legacy Training Center in San Luis Obispo, CA
4.  International Gymnastics Centre Inc. in West Sacramento, CA


We've used trampoline facilities in Fort Wayne, IN and Buffalo Grove, IL (near Chicago).  Both offered more than jumping.  Both offered a foam pit and dodge ball games.  No need to bring a team.  Just join the fun.  Safety first.  The facilities provide safety videos and signs.  Always good to reinforce the message yourself with your kids.

Tips:
1) Bring comfortable clothes, but not too much stuff - you'll likely want to rent a small locker.  Facilities often require socks with grips and sell them at a reasonable price.  2) Set a realistic time.  You can purchase 2 hours, but you may not need it.  One hour or even 30 minutes may suffice.  Especially if you use competition rules - routine terminates if you touch the side panel or stop (-:

When you go on vacation, sometimes the weather just doesn't cooperate.  Pack your grip socks.  If you are vacationing in the Smoky Mountains, check out Top Jump Trampoline Park in Pigeon Forge (between light #8 and 10).  If you need to rent a luxury cabin, check out our rental nearby named Indigo Moon Lodge www.indigomoonlodge.blogspot.com.

Gym Class #9: Horses, Cowboys, & 7 Rodeos

 

Photo by Krenda

Rodeo, a challenging sport, grew from the cattle industry and had influence from the Spanish ranchers.  Some claim Spanish rode focuses on style while American rodeo values speed.  Bull wrestling had conducted in Europe including Spain many years before America.  However, Bill Pickett of the United States has fame as the inventor of bulldogging.  William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) created the first major rodeo and the first Wild West show.  

 

Today the PRCA states that a sanctioned rodeo must include five events:  

1) calf roping:  top professional calf ropers with rope and tie a calf in seven seconds.  Time stops when the cowboy throws up his or her hand.  After putting slack in his rope, the timer waits for six seconds during which the calf must stay tied prior to recording.

2) barrelback riding:  cowboys hold on with only hand and judged upon control during the eight second ride

3) saddle bronc riding:  judging considers how hard the horse bucks, cowboys disqualify if either foot slips out of a stirrup

4) bull riding:  cowboys must remain seated, cowboys disqualify for touching the animal, himself, or his equipment with his free hand

5) steer wrestling:  steer wrestler on horseback starts behind a barrier and if he leaves too soon i.e. "breaking the barrier", the judges give a ten second penalty 

At a rodeo, you may also see team roping (two cowboys work together to rope back feet and if rope only one herd foot then judges give five second penalty) and barrel racing (cowboys ride a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels and incur a five second penalty for each barrel overturned).  

At junior events, you may see mutton busting in which young children attempt to ride sheep for six seconds.

We attended the Jacob Hamblin Days festival in Kanab Utah, a celebration of pioneer and western heritage, which included a rodeo.  I really enjoyed watching the rodeo outdoors, surrounded by beautiful scenery and watching the sunset.  During junior events, the fathers did a lot of helping.  The encouragement was visible.  The announcer would get excited and the whole crowd would cheer whether or not the child held onto the sheep for six seconds.

Attending the National Finals Rodeo by PRCA ProRodeo in Las Vegas, NV may give you a challenge considering tickets have sold out for past 26 years.  You can get on a waitlist for a balcony seat.  Here's x rodeo event with available tickets:

1) Cheyenne Frontier Days (Cheyenne, WY, July):  began in 1897 and now attracts nearly 200,000 fans, besides rodeo events, it includes the USAF Thunderbirds air show, chuckwagon cookoff, and serving of nearly 100,000 free pancakes; concerts such as Toby Keith ($47-71), rodeo ($7-30 each), championship bullriding ($31-41), carnival armband ($30); consider the Frontier four pack ($99) which includes rodeo tickets for four and hot dog dinner.

2) Pendleton Round Up (Pendleton, OR):  began in 1910 and now one of the top ten largest rodeos in the world with crowd of approximately 50,000, visit the tipi village, Happy Canyon pageant, Indian Pow-Wow, dress-up parade, wild cow milking, and relay racing, rodeo ($20-30 each)

3) The Reno Rodeo (Reno, NV, June);  nearly 100 years old and claims 140K fans over 10 days, giving over $2million in prize money, the slogan is "wildest, richest rodeo in the west", steer decorating, cattle drive, cowboy church, X-treme bull ($19-26), rodeo ($21-23)

3) Ellensburg Rodeo (Ellensburg, WA, Labor Day weekend):  Over 600 contestants and four nights of rodeo ($17-37 each), Xtreme Bulls ($15-43), pancake breakfast ($6), Hall of Fame banquet (limited $40 tickets), dance in dirt, and cowboy church

4) World's Oldest Rodeo Prescott (Prescott, AZ, June/July):  began in 1888 as "cowboy tournament" with cash prizes, now eight performances ($16-20), Kiwanis kiddie parade, arts & crafts show, and cowboy church

5) Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo (Fort Worth, TX, Jan./Feb.);  world's original indoor rodeo, adult ($10), child age 6-16 ($5) includes livestock events and educational programs, Moo-seum experience, over 400,000 people attend

6) National Western Stock Show & Rodeo (Denver, CO, Jan.):  admission ($10-20) or family 4-pack ($89 includes hot dog dinner), Colorado vs. champions of the world rodeo, Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza includes trick roping, PBR bull riding, draft horse show and pull, petting farm, pony rides for children

7) Weekley Brothers Davie Pro Rodeo (Davie, FL):  rodeo ($22 adult, $10 child age 3-12), championship buckle presentation, pancake breakfast

All pricing subject to change.  Please visit their websites.

History Lesson #6: Jonathan Young & 7 Historical Windmills

Windmill, Photo by Krenda

Admiring the De Gooyer Windmill in Amsterdam, the tallest wooden mill in the Netherlands and a registered National Monument, I hoped I could share the experience of admiring historical windmills with my kids.  The Dutch refined the windmill to adapt for draining lakes and marshes.  However, the De Gooyer Windmill ground corn during WWII.  Farmers began using windmills to pump water, grind wheat and corn, and cut wood at sawmills.  

I took my kids to visit the Jonathan Young Windmill, one of the oldest or the oldest windmill in the US, built approximately 1720, moved in 1839, and moved again in 1897.  It's now located near the highway in Town Cove Park (41 Old King's Highway, Orleans, MA).  Look for when the mill opens to the public; the resident miller told historical stories and pointed out parts including the windshaft (center pole), brake wheel/bull wheel (wooden gears), drive shaft or spindle, hopper, and shoe. 

Massachusetts has a long list of windmills.  If you live outside of the east coast, here's eight windmills you can show your family:

1.  Murphy Mill, San Francisco, California:  Smock 1905 windmill appeared in the film A Jitney Elopement starring Charlie Chaplin

2.  Vermeer Mill, Pella, Iowa:  Smock windmill designed by Lukas Verbijin in the Netherlands, now the tallest working windmill in North America; visit the museum ($10 adults) or Tulip Time festival

3.  Danish Mill:  Elk Horn, Iowa:  Smock windmill built in 1848 at Norre-Snede Denmark, dismantled 1957 and re-erected at Elk Horn in 1976

4.  De Zwaan Windmill, Holland, Michigan:  Smock windmill first erected in 1761 in the Netherlands

5.  Bevo Mill, St. Louis:  After $1 million in renovations, it's open again as a restaurant Das Bevo Bierhall
6.  Millbank Holland Grist Windmill:  South Dakota, smock 1882 windmill, one of only 50 working windmills in the country, visit during Farley Fest for tour

7.  Mankato Seppman Mill, MN:  Tower mill 1864, repaired by Blue Earth County Historical Society and transitioned to state, now preserved at the Minneopa State Park

Mom Blooper: Goat & Grant's Farm

It's time out for another "Mom Blooper".  Travel can lead you to so many adventures, including unexpected ones.  People always joke about the ultimate excuse "the dog ate my homework."  Somehow family travel led me to claiming "the goat ate my daughter's snow cone ticket."

It all starts with a casual family outing to Grant's Farm, a family friendly attraction in St. Louis, MO.  It's a great deal - free admission to the park, free tram ride to tour the deer park, a beer garden with free tastings, and free animal shows.  The Busch family, the family who owned the Anheuser-Busch company, owns 281 acre Grant's Farm.  You can see the famous Clydesdale horses and carriage houses even without the $25 Clydesdale Experience Tour.  The park offers a 1.5 hour estate grounds tour "Estate Tour" for $25, but you can spend much longer just walking the grounds and seeing animals.

In this wonderful land of free fun, there's an opportunity to buy a bundled "fun pass" for only $6.  Here's the beginning of "the goat ate my daughter's snow cone ticket" claim.  The pass includes one carousel ride, two goat feeding bottles, and one snow cone.  Who could pass up such a combination?

My daughter entered the goat feeding area with two bottles and her remaining snow cone ticket.  The goats surrounded her.  I don't think she expected goats trying to eat her skirt while trying to feed another goat.  The snow cone ticket got too close to a goat mouth and we watched in terror as the goat quickly snatched it, chewed it, and swallowed it.  My daughter exclaimed "no one's going to believe that the goat ate my snow cone ticket!"  It's a hot day.  Her cousins and brother still own snow cone tickets.  You know it, mom must approach the window to explain to the compassionate employees the entire ordeal.  The employees didn't seem to phased by the story and gave us a snow cone ticket. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the "goats can be aggressive" sign, but we had a fun time overall.

Gym Class #8: Yacht Competition & 6 Schooner Rides

America's Cup, Photo by Krenda

America's Cup established in 1851, making it the oldest and most prestigious yacht racing.  America's Cup name came from the 1851 winning schooner America.  Six members of the New York Yacht Club built America and beat fifteen yachts in the UK during the World's Fair.  America finished miles ahead of the others and  it began a winning streak for Americans.  A famous line cam from Queen Victoria asking who came second and the simple response "Ma'a, there is no second." Americans won the trophy for 132 years.  Australia broke the winning streak in 1983.  

2016 marked the year of the first America's Cup race held on fresh water.  Fortunately for our family that location was off the shores of Chicago on the Great Lakes.  The America's Cup qualifying races included six teams from around the world:  1) Emirates Team New Zealand, 2) Softbank Team Japan, 3) Team France, 4) Oracle Team USA, 5) Land Rover UK, 6) Artemis Racing Sweden. 

 

Yacht races know the media well.  The first use of the wireless telegraph was to report cup races from the water.  ESPN began live coverage in 1987.  Rather than watch the event on tv, I took my family to watch the event from the water.  We took a ride on the schooner Tall Ship Red Witch.  The boat ride itself was joy, passing the Chicago shoreline under the sun.  Our captain did use media, turning up the radio so we could hear about the race while watching it.

The competing yachts seemed to fly above the water at approximately 35 knots or 40 miles per hour.  Foiling happens when the boats reach a certain speed and skim over the water.  Both powerful and graceful, the movement amazed me.  

Photo by Krenda

No doubt that yachting has been a sport for the wealthy.  It's involved business owners like French manufacturing tycoon Baron Marcel Bich (Bic pen).  Volvo and sixty other Swedish companies supplied money, technology, and research in 1977.  Now professionals sailors compete in the high stakes competition.

You can sail with your kids for under $50 per person.  Consider a short sail.  We took a special event sailing on Tall Ship Red Witch in Chicago, but Red Witch normally has low sailing price of $25 out of Kenosha Harbor in Kenosha, WI.  Here's other options:

1.  Schooner Pride (Charleston, SC), 2 hour dolphin sail $42 adult, $30 child

2.  Traverse Tallship Co. Manitou in Grand Traverse Bay (Traverse City, MI), 114-foot 19th century cargo schooner replica, Moomers ice cream sail $43 adult and $23 child; floating B&B overnight $217 to 245 couples

3.  Schooner Surprise (Camden, Maine), 2 hour sunset cruise $45 adult and $35 child 

4.  Inland Seas Education Association Great Lake Discovery Sails in Suttons Bay (Suttons Bay, MI), 77-foot schooner, various themed sails, Astronomy Under Sail or Breakfast on the Schooner, adult $45 

5.  Dennis Sullivan (Milwaukee, WI), 137-foot schooner, 2 hour sail $45 adult, $40 child

6.  Schooner America 2.0 in New York Harbor (NY, NY), 2 hour Day Sail to Statue of Liberty $60 adult, child $32 

NPS #4: Grand Canyon National Park Mule Rides or 4 Mule Days

Mules at Grand Canyon National Park  Photo by Krenda Frushour

Mules have played a part in American history through agriculture, war, pulling canal boats along the Erie Canal, and hauling goods along the trail rides west.  Famous leaders appreciated mules from George Washington the mule breeder to President Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir riding mules in now Yosemite National Park.  If you have older kids age seven or above, your kids can ride mules in national parks.

Mules have characteristics that make them right for the job of carrying people near a canyon rim.  As an offspring of a donkey and horse, many consider mules as hardy and long-lived, less likely to spook, slower, more patient, and having higher endurance than horses.    

Grand Canyon Bright Angel Lodge

Shuttle to Mule Rides

We took a mule ride along the Grand Canyon south rim.  Reserve early because the park limits the number of riders per day.  The Grand Canyon is a popular National Park.  National Geographic's book 100 Places That Can Change Your Child's Life lists the Grand Canyon as a must see site, "The iconic Grand Canyon experience is the overnight mule ride down to the Colorado River; riders must be at least four feet seven inches tall and weight less than 200 pounds.  The ride can be physically taxing, especially in the heat of summer."
We had my younger, shorter nephew and took a less taxing ride under two hours.  It began our adventure by checking in at the Bright Angel Lodge's transportation desk.  The employees checked whether we met the requirements (above age seven years old, below two hundred pounds).  A shuttle bus took us to the mules and wrangler.  Park employees helped visitors get into the saddle and they assured us of the positive mule traits such as sure-footed and motivated by self preservation.  Our mules took us up and down the trails, through the forest, and giving us unique views of the canyon.  I'd suggest wearing jeans, sunglasses, hats, and bandanas.  The sun shines down and the dust kicks up.    

Grand Canyon guide, photo by Krenda

National parks seem like the perfect place for a mule ride.  It combines the natural beauty of the park and guides to tell you more about the park.  The Grand Canyon offers rides at both the north and south rim.  Here's three other national parks offering mule rides:

1.  Yosemite National Park by Big Trees Stables, 2 hour horse or mule ride, views of Big Trees Lodge, the Wawona Meadow Loop, a former encampment, and Wawona Dome.  $65/rider.

2.  Bryce Canyon National Park - Bryce Canyon Lodge, leaving from Sunrise Point for views of Wall of Windows, The Chessman, and Bristle Cone Pine Trees; 2 hour tour to canyon floor $65 or 3 hour Peek-A-Boo loop trail $90

3.  Zion National Park by Canyon Trail Rides - offered March to Oct., one hour trip Virgin River Ride $45/person includes view of Three Patriarchs, The Beehives, and cactus gardens or 3 hour tour along Sand Bench Trail $90 offering views of the park's southern end

 If you want to spend less than $65/person, find other ways to get your kids close to mules.  Look for a Mule Days festival.  Here's four annual Mule Day festivals:

1. Mule Days Bishop (Bishop, CA, Memorial weekend, Sat. show $15 adult and $10 child): attracts over 300,000 fans, 700 mules, and 14 shows within six days, boasts the "World's Longest Non-Motorized parade", watch hitch classes, timed cones, donkey driving timed, team roping, Sat. night dance $10, BBQ dinner $25 adult and $10 child
 

View from mule, Grand Canyon NP, photo by Krenda

2. Mule Days Columbia (Columbia, TN, April, Fri. & Sat., $10 and free for kids under 12)- celebrate the "mule capital" of the world, even began in 1840 and now over 200,000 people attend; lumberjack competitions, clogging, log pulling competition, bluegrass music, gospel singing, worship service, chili supper, dance, Mule Day Queen competition; entertainment includes a mule pull contest requiring a pair of mules to pull a sled loaded with cinder blocks ten feet

3.  Benson Mule Days (Benson, NC, Benson Singing Grove downtown, 4th Sat. of Sept.), attracts 40-50 thousand people, rodeo $15, American Legion dance $9, mule pulling contest, camping, sidewalk chalk art, bluegrass, karaoke, 
 
4.  Harrison Mule Days (Woodbine, MD, Carroll County Equestrian Center), primitive camping $20, mule jump, hay ride, baby bottle race, night coon hunt, cornhole tournament, animal dress-up competition, cowboy church, and auction