Sitka, Alaska – The twins have had their fill of totem poles (since the first totem park back in Ketchikan, realistically). And they used up their patience for history museums pretty quickly as well. So this week when Daddio and…
Busch Gardens
Tampa, Florida – Now that the twins are amusement park fiends–and they are big enough to ride most rides–we decided it was about time to return to Busch Gardens. (My memories of our first visit are, um, watery.) I thought…
The Twins do DC
Washington DC – In another life, I used to live in Washington DC. In fact, this is where Daddio and I met, way back when (but that’s a story for another time). This year, we took the twins for their…
Big Cat Habitat
Sarasota, Florida – We took a break from the beach to visit the lions and tigers and bears (Oh my!) at the Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary. It’s like a zoo, except all of the animals are rescues.…
Cayman Turtle Center
West Bay, Grand Cayman – I have spent all week deliberating about the Cayman Turtle Center — reading about it, questioning locals and grilling tourists about their experiences. On my last day, I finally went to check it out in person. Why all…
Monteverde
Monteverde, Costa Rica – Our week in Monteverde just flew by, and we barely scratched the surface on the cool things to do here. When I’m doing these gigs, we often rent a house, so we have a little room…
New England Picks for Kids
Somerville, Mass – I’ve been traipsing around the lower New England states to update the Lonely Planet USA guide. This big book covers a lot of territory, so we can’t give too much attention to any one place (in the…
Franklin Park Zoo – Playground
Boston, Mass – Last year, in a post about the Franklin Park Zoo, I wondered: is it really necessary to drive all the way across town to the zoo, just to go to the playground? Now I can answer definitively.…
Moscow Zoo
Moscow, Russia – The Moscow Zoo is celebrating its 150th anniversary. In honor of this event, the entire zoo is pod remont, or “under renovation.” Okay, I’m exaggerating. Three-quarters of the zoo is under renovation. There’s nothing like spending a…
Franklin Park Zoo
Boston, Mass – Neither of the two zoos in the Greater Boston area is particularly impressive. It’s a great disappointment to zoo-lovers such as Daddio and I. That said, we are members of Zoo New England and the Franklin Park…