Agriculture Lesson #7: From France to US, Lavender Farms and 4 Festivals

Photo by Krenda

A friend of mine visited Provence, France and raved about the lavender fields.  The Mediterranean mountains and Africa are known as lavender locations.  I imagined her strolling through the fields and visiting cute gift shops.  She brought me back lavender soap which I treasured.  The perennial flowering shrub smells so fragrant.  It's often found in beauty care items, sometimes with a claim to help relaxation and sleep.  This began my research in how to visit a lavender farm a little closer to home.

Born in the south of France, Martine Anderson became the founder of the Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm in Washington Island, Wisconsin.  Martine
began growing lavender gardens with her husband Edgar.  In 2013, the farm staff planted 9,000 plants and now there's 30,000 lavender plants.  So I scheduled our Door County Wisconsin vacation around the July timing of the Lavender Festival at the Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm.  It took all of us boarding a ferry to Washington Island.  We strolled through the fields, saw freshly harvested lavender hanging in the working barn, watched demonstrations, listened to live music, and tasted samples of food containing lavender.  The festival offered painting classes near the fields too.  While lavender for culinary and aromatic purposes, I prefer the scent versus the taste.  My sister doesn't appreciate the scent as much as me, so she gladly gave me her lavender organza sachet.

France inspired other growers.  In 1999, Rob Kendrick and his wife Jeannie Ralston shot a story for national Geographic about lavender farming and perfume-making in Provence.  In 1999, they planted 2,000 plants and now you can visit their farm Hill Country Farm in Texas, near San Antonio and Austin.  Visit the farm May to July or you can buy their lavender-lemon tea cookies online.

You can find lavender farms coast to coast in the United States.  Here's three more lavender festivals for you and your family to consider:
1.  Sequim Lavender Festival, Sequim, Washington; June-Labor Day
Considered the "Lavender Capital" of North America, Sequim celebrates with a street fair of craft booths, LavenderStock music stage, free self-guided farm tours at eight farms
Kids can stay active in the KidsZone including a dance party, quick golf, obstacle course, and minute to win it challenges
2.  Michigan Lavender Festival; Imlay City, MI; Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds (North of Detroit); July
Admission includes shuttle, educational classes and demos, 5-minute mini massage, daily yoga sessions at 11AM and 2PM, and many demos (knitting, pottery, broom making, spinning & weaving), pamper yourself with an express lavender facial for $20 or listen to live music
Kid's activity barn includes crafts such as DIY lavender play dough demo for age 12 and under
3.  Ojai Valley Lavender Festival; Ojai, California; June
Ojai declared June as Lavender Month.  Take advantage of free parking and shuttle; learn from talks such as "growing lavender" and "cooking with lavender" at Lavender Inn, listen to live music and expect a crowd as the festival has attracted over 4,500 attendees
 4.  Blanco Lavender Festival, Blanco, TX; June
Free admission to the festival and farm, live music, listen to speakers at the courthouse on horticulture and bee keeping

If you can't time your visit just right for a festival, visit a farm in the summer:
1.  Ali' Kula Lavender Farm; Maui, Hawaii; June to Aug.
2.  Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms; Montague, California
3.  Pelindaba Lavender Farm; Washington State's San Juan Island; April to Oct.
4.  Hood River Lavender Farm; Oregon; May to Oct.
5.  Red Rock Randeh & Farm Growers of High Altitude Lavender; Concho, Arizona
6.  Los Poblanos Lavender Farm; Albuquerque, New Mexico
7.  Sprigs and Sprouts; Palisade, Colorado
8.  White Oak Lavender Farm; Harrisburg, Virginia; open year-round
9.  Lavender by the Bay; East Marion, NY; June - Oct.
10.  Peace Valley Lavender Farms; Bucks County, PA;  open year-round

NPS #7: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore & 2 Other Dunes

A new environment can make getting outside and exploring fun.  Dunes are a geological wonder enabled by wind.  Diverse in size, the hills and ridges add to the visual wonder.  Did you know Michigan is home to the largest dune system in the world?

 

Let's start with the dunes operated and protected  by the National Park Service (NPS).  The federal government created the national lakeshore in 1970.

Trip One:  At 450 feet above Lake Michigan, our kids enjoyed the challenge of climbing dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan. The book Amazing Places to Take Your Kids puts the size in perspective, "The dunes are among the largest in the world, matched only by those in Colorado, the Sahara, and Saudi Arabia." As a toddler, my daughter didn't go far.  Her bigger brother gleefully ran higher up a dune than her.  She still had fun in the giant sandbox.  We returned with the kids as teenagers and we all enjoyed hiking to breathtaking views.  At the top, we stood in awe with other tourists and the Park Ranger providing stories.  The blue water, the light sand, and surrounding greenery make it a picture perfect spot.

 
Trip Two:  On a later vacation, we visited sand dunes protected by the state park system.  Jockey's Ridge State Park has the tallest sand dunes on the Atlantic Coast.  While located on the Outer Banks, Nags Head, North Carolina, the dunes are not located on the coastline beaches.  Geologists believe hurricanes blew sand inland.  At a height of 80 to 100 feet, my kids, niece, and nephew enjoyed doing cartwheels on the sand.  We enjoyed the beauty of the sunset over the water.

Trip Three:  On our most recent vacation, we sought out another state park with a sand dune.  Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah has fabulous salmon pink sand created by iron oxide and minerals.  It comes from Navajo sandstone from the geologic period called Middle Jurassic.  Although the dunes have an estimated age of 10,000 to 15,000 years old, the landscape quickly changes.  The hills can move as much as 50 feet in just one year.  This time my kids, niece, and nephew ran up and down the hills.  Those moving at a slower pace found the rare Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle, only found within the 500 acres of the Coral Pink Sand Dunes.  Conservationist worry about their extinction.  A 370-acre conservation area was established in which off-roach vehicle use is prohibited.  ATV trails are just beyond the park and you can schedule a guided four-seater tour or be the ATV drive with Coral Pink ATV Tours.

Here's 7 other sand dunes in the United States for your kids to explore:
1.  Juniper Dunes, Washington (WA) for hiking, wire keeps out the off road vehicles (ORV) and motorcycles http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/juniper-dunes-wilderness

2.  Syracuse Sand Dunes, Kansas for the family into adventure and able to use ORVs http://www.syracusesanddunes.com/

3.  Killpecker, WY, another play zone for ORVs http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/field_offices/Rock_Springs/rec/dunes.html

4.  Christmas Valley Sand Dunes, Utah (UT), the largest inland shifting system in the Pacific Northwest http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/site_info.php?siteid=85

5.  Oregon Dunes, Oregon, if your kids are old enough, the family can go horseback riding on the dunes  http://oregondunes.org/horse-riding.html

6.  Great Sand Dunes National Park, 35 miles north of Alamosa, Colorado (CO), kids can even sled on the dunes  http://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/directions.htm

7.  Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana (IN)  http://www.nps.gov/indu/forkids/index.htm

We've also been to the Indiana Dunes.  It's also fun for kids, but don't expect perfect scenery...a few smokestakes could be in your horizon.

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.

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.

Animal Lesson #8: Camel Races and 7 Other Camel Experiences

Did you know that 94% of camels are dromedary or one-humped camels.  You'll find them in the Middle East or the Horn of Africa.  Only 6% of camels get classified as Bractrain, the two-humped camel from Central Asia.  According to the New York Times, 3,000 camels live in the United States.  Americans imported camels in 1856 for Army use.  It may seem rare to ride a camel in the United States, so I'm sharing with you camel experience opportunities from most to least expensive:

1)  Big Bend Camel Treks, camel-assisted trek to travel the same Big Bend region of West Texas that the historic US Army Camel Experiment explored in 1857 on the Beale Expedition; camp overnight $750 per person with 3 person minimum; 3 day trip $1,050

2) Camel Safari in Las Vegas, 1.5 hour trip in Nevada desert, overlook the Virgin Mountains and Virgin River, must be at least 3 years old and under 250 pounds, $150 per person

3) Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, Palm Desert, CA; zoo admission $20 +$6 camel ride offered through April

4) Safari North Wildlife Park Brainerd, MN; May to Sept. and camel rides only on weekends, $15 entrance + camel ride fee

5) Camel Safari in Bellingham, WA; camel encounter includes opportunity to pet and feed camels; no rides; $25 per person

6) Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm, South Barrington, IL; feed giraffes and ride camels in October; $15 admission + $6 camel ride

7) Oasis Camel Dairy, Ramona, CA; not open daily, look for Open Farm & Show day or book for a small group (10 person min.); $10/person entrance + $10 adult ride or $5 for age 3-14 years old

We found a relatively low cost way to ride a camel.  The Travel & Adventure Show in Chicago (Rosemont Convention Center) provides a different adventure each year.  One year they offered diving in a small pool.  Another year they offered free camel rides. Admission to the show costs $15.

If you seek a much longer experience, consider a special trip to the International Camel & Ostrich Races in Virginia City.  The 57th race will happen Sept. 8-10 in 2017.  The Virginia City newspaper published a farce about racing camels in Virginia City.  When out-of-state competitors arrived, a new tradition began.

Gym Class #5: Kids Sailing Camps from High to Lower Cost

Hoofer Sailing Club

UW Madison, Photo by Krenda

Before classes at University of Wisconsin Madison even begun, I took the Hoofer sailing club up for a deal to sail for free as part of orientation.  Not only did I love the sport, I met lifelong friends.  Now when strolling outside Memorial Union, I always admire the sailboats and imagine having a little more time to sail on the water.

Sailing may seem unobtainable for kids to begin due to lesson prices.  I've done a bit of research for you to show that sailing can cost thousands of dollars to begin, but it does not have to be so expensive.  Look beyond the yacht club and search park programs or YMCA camps.  In descending order from most to least expensive, here's eleven options:

1.  Adriondack Camp (Putnam Station, NY) offers a diverse sailboat fleet including Mercury Sloop, Capri Sloop, Lasers, Sunfish, JV Sloop, Classic 420, and 6 Flying Juniors; 2 week session $4,600

2.  Coral Reef Yacht Club (Miami, FL) teaches 8 to 17 year olds $750

3.  Coconut Grove Sailing Club (Miami, FL), learn how to rig, launch a boat, basic knots, and develop wind awareness; age 6-17 9AM-4PM $600

4.  San Diego Yacht Club (San Diego, CA) host of the Junior Olympic festival, fleet of 24 new CFJ sailboats; $590 for Junior Summer sailing

5.  Northwestern University Sailing Center (Chicago, IL), 420s and lasers, 9AM-noon $575

6.  Premier Sailing (The Tides, Irvington, VA), founded in 1998 by Irish sailors, one week young sailors course for age 6-17 $445

7.  Sail Sand Point (Seattle, WA), non-profit community boating center, separated by age such as youth beginner (8-12 year olds), teen beginner (12-17 yr olds) $410; same pricing at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Seattle

8.  The Watersports Camp (San Diego, CA), sponsored by the YMCA, basic sailing morning camp and option to upgrade to afternoon activity for only $50 incremental; $370

9.  St. Petersburg sailing (Florida), Learn to Sail Camp for age 7 to 12 teaches rigging, steering, and maneuvering around docks 8:30-4:30PM; $321

10.  Sail Buffalo Sailing School (Buffalo, NY), Junior Sailing Camp Nautical Day Camp 9AM-4PM age 8 to 18; full week $294

11.  Hoofer Youth Program (UW Madison, Madison, WI); sailing day camp 10AM-4PM or beginner racing (3 hours) for $265; also offers windsurfing lessons

12.  Wilmette Park (Chicago suburbs, IL) group sailing lessons age 9-15, 8 lessons 12:30-2:30 or 3-5PM, learn on Lake Michigan; 12 students max. per class; $196 each

Before the kids begin lessons, give them a head start by teaching them the terms:  rudder, centerboard, tack, stern, boom, head mast, jib, jibstay, jibsheet, bow, etc.

Lighthouse Lesson #1: Cape Hatteras and 6 Lighthouse Events

Perhaps it's because I grew up near the Great Lakes that I find maritime history fascinating and lighthouses as majestic, protecting our coasts with the values of safety and stories of heroism.  Celebrate lighthouses and their keepers.  August 7th is National Lighthouse Day. 

We saw many lighthouses at the Outer Banks and the iconic Cape Hatteras in Buxton, NC stood as the most memorable.  By climbing the lighthouse, we also heard stories about the lighthouse.  Our guide pointed out where this lighthouse stood prior to 1999.  Due to erosion, the lighthouse moved to higher ground.  Known as "The Move of the Millennium", the lighthouse became the tallest masonry structure ever moved.  Perhaps it was memorable because as we looked out over the beautiful sunny & blue sky view, we also knew a hurricane watch was coming and we could imagine the danger on water years ago; overlooking "The Graveyard of the Atlantic.

Kids can expand their vocabulary:
Pharologist - one who studies or is interested in lighthouse
Wickie - a name given to lighthouse keepers, derived from the task of trimming the wick of the lamps
Prism- a tansparent piece of glass that refracts or disperses light
Beacon - a lighted or unlighted fixed aid to navigation
Lantern - a glass enclosure at the top of the lighthouse tower which housed the lighthouse lens
See the United States Lighthouse Society site for more terms.

Light up their imagination.  There's more than one day a year to teach kids about maritime history, whether touring a museum or climbing a lighthouse.  Here's six special events:

1.  Maryland Lighthouse Challenge - Sept.
You must see all mandatory stops (10 lighthouses) to proclaim "I've seen the lights" and collect a specialty designed souvenir.  Scouts have an opportunity to earn "Keeping the Lights Shining" patch.

2.  Maine Open Lighthouses Day - Sept.
Sponsored by the United States Coast Guard; climb and learn about over two dozen historic Main lights including Bass Harbor Head, Burnt Coat Harbor, and Owls Head.  Plan ahead.  The event attracts 15,000 to 18,000 visitors per year.  Stop into the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland where you'll see the largest collection of Fresnel lenses display in the US

3.  Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival - Sept. - Washington
Free, 50 year festival, fireworks, art show, children's parade, fly-over, salmon bake, fishing derby

4.  Lighthouse Challenge of NJ - Oct.
Visit up to 11 lighthouses; $2 registration fee includes a special passport book
Climbing ranges from donation to $8 (Cape May)

5.  Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival - Oct. - Alpena, MI
20 year festival; Free four day event close to Mackinaw City
Lighthouse tours, entertainment and over 100 maritime related vendors
Alpena also has the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center - free admission and you'll see shipwreck exhibits and a full size replica wooden Great Lakes schooner

6.  Lakeside Marblehead Lighthouse Festival - Oct. - Ohio
Lakeside Chautauqua and Marblehead Peninsula, crafts, pumpkin decorating contest, hayrides ($2), lighthouse tours ($2), and sailboat rides
Marblehead, 2nd oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes, had the first female lighthouse keeper in the US

Gym Class #3: Robbie Knievel & 4 AMA Motorcycle Events

Robbie Knievel, Photo by Krenda

 

Robbie's truck says "leaving a legend" with a photo of his father Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel and his photo.

At Kings Island amusement park in Ohio, we watched Robbie Knievel break the record, jumping more semis, breaking his own father's record that was set at the same exact place many years ago.

The kids loved the excitement and it gave us a great opportunity to discuss the importance of setting goals, achieving them, and setting even higher goals...a cycle of success. Sports can give you an opportunity to discuss risk taking and challenging yourself.

If you are looking to inspire your child with sports with speed, you may want to check out the AMA flat track motorcycle events.  Locations vary each year, but here's four classic locations:

1) Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH, pea-gravel half mile track adds a challenge, late June
2) Peoria Race Park, Peoria, IL, a historic site with a high flying jump sending riders 140 ft. plus into the air, August
3) Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, IN, AMA notes a high energy audience, July
4) Springfield Mile, Springfield Illinois (IL), known as the crown jewel of the AMA Pro Flat Track, it's a tradition both Memorial and Labor Day weekends

Here's the website with event dates and costs:  http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/events/
*Disclaimer:  A friend of mine owns a motorcycle team.

Art Lesson #1: Chihuly at Indianapolis Children's Museum

I've met many famous people, but never Dale Chihuly. Yet, everytime I see his art, I feel connected.  The University of Wisconsin Madison's Art Center held his first solo exhibit in 1968. It was earlier than my time, but a special school to me too as my alma mater.

Everytime I see his artwork, I feel inspired. Dale took glassblowing to a whole new level, making it a fine art, a contemporary art full of imagination and a kalediscope of color.   

You can find Chihuly's art on permanent display:
While visiting the Indianapolis Children's Museum, the largest children's museum in the world, I photographed his glass displayed in the ceiling. The kids looked up in awe at the bright colors and seashell-like shapes.

The Chihuly Garden and Glass In Seattle Center opened in 2012.  This center provides a much bigger collection of his art with both indoor and outdoor exhibits.  I was fortunate to visit at time which included local artists demonstrating glass blowing.  Visit my blog article to read about my visit and experience.

Also, look online for Chihuly's traveling art:
Cactus flowers bloomed, the sun set over the horizon, and I thoroughly enjoyed strolling past Chihuly art in sun and darkness at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona.

You may find his art at other botanical gardens or museums such as Chihuly Catalina Island Museum (Avalon, CA), New York Botanical Garden (The Bronx, NY), Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, Arkansas).

There's so many artists creating beautiful glass art.  If you'd like to inspire your children's creativity by viewing glass art, here's 6 other museums to explore:
1.  Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park, FL), the most comprehensive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany http://morsemuseum.org/
3.  Musuem of Glass (Tacoma, WA) focusing on contemporary and Pacific Northwest glass art http://museumofglass.org/
4.  National Heisey Glass Museum, (Veterans Park, Newark, OH)
http://heiseymuseum.org/
5.  The New Bedford Museum of Glass (New Bedford, Massachusetts) opened 2010 in former textile building  http://www.nbmog.org/
6.  Toledo Museum of Art including The Glass Pavilion, (Toledo, OH) The Glass Pavilion with curved glass walls and a Dale Chihuly sculpture opened in 2006 http://www.toledomuseum.org/glass-pavilion/
7.  Corning Museum of Art, (Corning, NY) Finger Lake area, $15 adult, free for kids
http://www.cmog.org/visit/hours-and-admission

Animal Lesson #1: 7 Whale Watching Tours

Ohana, it means family in the Hawaiian language. I visited Hawaii to see family and more – waterfalls, rainbows, whales, canyons, volcanic rock, canyons and mountains, and more fish than I can count.  This is a photo taken from our cruise ship touring from one Hawaiian island to another.  We also enjoyed seeing whales from a cruise deck in Glacier Bay, Alaska.  We were the first set of cruise ships in the season, early June.  Tourists see whales through August.

You don't need to fly to an island or take a large cruise ship to show your kids whales.  Here's seven options in descending order from most expensive to least:

1.   Kodiak Island, Alaska, gray whales in April, humpback whales in June to Nov.
Kodiak Adventures Unlimited requires minimum number of passengers and $180 each (approx. $720 for family of four) for 3 hour tour or $240 for 5 hours; at this price, consider a major cruise.  We sailed on Holland America and loved watching for marine animals for seven days.

2.  San Juan Islands, Washington, orcas (killer whales & technically dolphins)
San Juan Safaris in Harbor, WA, - family of 4 approx. $262: $79 adult, $52 children, April to Oct.

3.  Long Island, NY, fin, humpback, minke, sperm, blue and sei whales, July through Labor Day
American Princess Cruises (Rockaway Queens NY), Riis Landing only on specific dates; $48 adult and $33 child - family of 4 approx. $162

4.  Santa Barbara, CA, gray whales and 26 other types of whales and dolphins, Feb. to April
Condor Express early spring coast cruise for 2.5 hours - family of 4 approx. $160; $50 adult, $30 children, more expensive longer cruises (4.5 hours) in fall and winter for $99

5.  Provincetown, Massachusetts, critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, March to Oct.

Captain John Boats (Provincetown) includes marine biologist giving talks on 4 hour tour; $47 adult, $31 child - family of four approx. $156

6.   Cape May, NJ, humpback and finback in March
Cape May Whale Watcher (Cape May, NY); 2.5 hour whale and dolphin watch $35 adult and $25 child includes comp continental breakfast - family of 4 approx. $120; 3 hour tour with no food $40 adult

7.  Virginia, VA, fin whales during winter
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center; aquarium experts share research and conservation stories while watching for whales on the Atlantic Explorer; 2-2.5 hour trip $28 adult and $24 child - family of 4 approx. $104