Staging Site

Music City is bursting with family fun, from live performances to all manner of museums and attractions. You'll have no trouble keeping the whole clan entertained - and here are three slightly-less-touristy, completely budget-friendly tips from me, too.

A little bit of Ancient Greece, right in Nashville

1. Get your history on! One of the nation's largest museums, the Tennessee State Museum, is right in Nashville. Starting 15,000 years back, its exhibits use art, history, textiles, craft, and culture to examine the history of our nation. The extra-special part? Admission is free for all!

2. Have the kids learned about Greek civilization yet in school? They'll be thrilled to find a life-sized replica of the Parthenon, right in downtown Nashville's Centennial Park, complete with a 42-foot tall statue of Athena. The Parthenon also serves as the city's Art Museum, with galleries showing both classic and contemporary works. Quite a lot to take in, for only $6/$4 dollars in admission for adults/kids.

3. Nashville is an extremely kid-friendly city, so it's no surprise they've got a killer kids' program at the public library. If the weather gets bad, or if you just need some library-time, check out what the Nashville Main Library has on the line-up. With storytimes for different age groups, puppet shows, and sing-alongs, you're sure to find some fun to join. (Besides, exploring a city's public library is a great way to get a feel for a new place and how the locals live.)

Accommodation Tip: Need a place to stay? The Best Western Convention Center is near the city's most famous attractions - and still have the comfiest pillows and yummiest breakfast around.

Say No to Melted Crayons: A Survival List Read Post

Family travel tips

Say No to Melted Crayons: A Survival List

Photo via Pinterest

Are you squeezing one last summer family road trip in this Labor Day Weekend? Despite how often I've hit the road with the kids in the backseat, I'm always happy to peruse another road trip survival list: most seasoned family road trippers have a couple new-to-me tricks up their sleeve to keep the kiddos entertained, and I'm always game to give 'em a try.

Family road trip veteran Nadia of Child Mode put together a great list of tips for Babble: she covered all the basics (bring snacks! bring snacks!), and included some extra-expert tips as well (choose pencils over crayons, unless you want a gooey melted mess on your seat).

Check out her full list here, and happy road tripping!

Long Amusement Park Lines Becoming More...Amusing Read Post

Long Amusement Park Lines Becoming More...Amusing

Photo by Kirk McKoy / LA Times

The only "Are we therrrrrre yet?" worse than the one from the backseat is the one every two steps along the amusement park line, and with theme park attendance on the rise, those lines--often snaking across baking pavement-- aren't getting any shorter. But parks have started to wise up: if park attendees are there to have fun, why not keep the fun going even while in line? Many parks now keep waiting visitors cool under tents, even handing out buzzers to parents (think restaurant-style), and letting the kids scamper around and play while they wait. Other parks are upping the ante: jugglers and other entertainers are a common sight alongside long lines, and at Six Flags, visitors can use their cellphones to control video games playing on nearby screens.

As a parent, I'm a big fan of this trend: at the very least, the idea of shelling out half our savings on admission tickets makes me cringe a little less when I know the fun won't stop (and the meltdowns won't start) when we wait in line. Have you experienced this first hand yet? Has it made a difference for your family?

Read more on this movement at The Seattle Times.

Thrifty Travel Fun: Ann Arbor, MI Read Post

Michigan

Thrifty Travel Fun: Ann Arbor, MI

It's a big city with small-town charm, and it's an ideal destination for a family vacation: Ann Arbor offers easy access to outdoor fun, quaint shop-lined streets to explore, and plenty of character. Below, three budget-friendly family activities.

Beautiful photo via the Leslie Science and Nature Center's Flickr

1. Who wants to see some DINOS? The University of Michigan's Museum of Natural History fills four floors, and boasts the state's largest display of dinosaurs, as well as many other kid-friendly exhibits. Be sure to stop by the Planetarium, too. Museum admission is free (with a suggested $5 donation).

2. If you run into some stormy weather, bounce on over to Jump City. Admission is $7 a person, and kiddos can spend an afternoon exploring the bounciest playground they've ever laid big wide eyes on. Climbing, sliding, and plenty of giggles guaranteed.

3. The Leslie Science and Nature Center is a gem for family travelers (and locals, too). Pay a visit to the big birds in the Raptor Enclosures, say hello to crawlers, hoppers, and slitherers in the Critter House, and treasure-hunt for animal tracks, nests, and other signs of animals on the Black Ponds Wood Trail. The Center is open year-round, and admission is free. Grab your sneakers and sunscreen and head out!

Accommodation Tip: Take advantage of Michigan's lakes by staying at the Best Western Whitmore Lake Hotel, located on beautiful Whitmore Lake and within easy distance of Ann Arbor and Brighton.

Playgrounds With A View Read Post

Playgrounds With A View

Photo via Red Tricycle

One key to avoiding family vacation meltdowns is giving kids plenty of unstructured, physical playtime, far away from museums, cramped backseats, and restaurant booths. Which is to say, of course: thank goodness for public playgrounds!

But why settle for just any playground? You deserve a playground with a breathtaking view! Red Tricycle just posted a great round-up of playgrounds around the country that, in addition to offering ample space for zipping and zapping around, also boast beautiful, scenic views. Of course, I'm particularly partial to San Francisco's Dolores Park, which I consider an extension of my backyard...but I'll be sure to keep this list handy for future travels.

Here's the full article: any playgrounds you would add?

Thrifty Travel Fun: Oklahoma City, OK Read Post

Oklahoma

Thrifty Travel Fun: Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma City has been on our minds this summer after June's tornadoes, and this capital city deserves your consideration for a family vacation visit, too. Read on for family friendly activities that will bring big smiles and won't blow your budget.

1. Have an outdoor adventure right in the heart of the city: Martin Park Nature Center covers 144 acres and is home to creatures as small as butterflies and as large as deer and armadillo. Take advantage of 2.5 miles of well-maintained hiking trails, and be sure to stop by the Nature Center to enjoy a range of kid-friendly, hands-on exhibits: the observation beehive is sure to be an especially big hit.

2. Oklahoma has a rich railway history, and it's all on display at the Oklahoma Railway Museum. Explore a restored railroad locomotive, a 19th century depot, and more: admission to the grounds is free, and visitors of all ages will enjoy wandering about. Big train fans in the family? Check the museum's schedule to see when they're offering rides on a real, working train.

3. If there's one thing I love, it's a good zoo that doesn't cause me to dip into my kids' college fund, and the Oklahoma City Zoo fits the bill. Named one of the top 100 zoos in the country, the OKC Zoo is the Southwest's oldest. Check out a menagerie of exotic animals, visit special exhibits like Cat Forest and the Aquatic Center, and take part in a rotation of special events and shows. As for the admission? Kids under three are free, kids are $5, and adults are $8: not bad at all!

Accommodation Tip: The Best Western Plus Saddleback Inn and Conference Center has all the good things you'd expect from a BW, and even offers free shuttle service downtown.

What Are You Trying to Say to Me?! Read Post

What Are You Trying to Say to Me?!

The world is a big, beautiful, miraculous place - and it's pretty funny, too. This collection of slightly confusing and completely amusing signs from around the world has me giggling into my keyboard.

Sometimes it's good to get a little lost in translation! Check out the full collection of photos over at Budget Travel.

Thrifty Travel Fun: Albany, NY Read Post

New York

Thrifty Travel Fun: Albany, NY

New York's capital city and its surroundings offer family fun in every variety, from museums to hiking trails and everything in between!

Take in the view from the top of the Corning Tower. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

1. Sometimes the best things ARE free - or at least, the best views! From the tippy-top of Albany's Corning Tower, you'll have a stunning view of the Adirondacks, the Berkshires, the Catskills, the Empire Plaza, and more. Plus, the kids will love zooming up to the 42nd floor on the speedy express elevator.

2. Put your learning cap on and head to the New York State Museum. Eclectic, informative exhibits cover a broad range of topics related to the state (past exhibits have featured photography of the Adirondacks, student artwork from the SUNY schools, soap box derby cars, and more). The museum is low-key and kid-friendly, and budget-friendly, too: admission is free, and so is a ride on their historic, beautifully restored carousel.

3. It's half an hour outside Albany, but it's well worth the trek: Saratoga Spa State Park is chock full of outdoor recreational fun (hiking trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, etc.), as well as historic landmarks, two theaters, and two equally fantastic pools. Victoria Pool, the first heated pool in the U.S., was historically a destination for the rich and famous and is housed among architecturally gorgeous buildings, and Peerless Pool, referred to as "a wet and wonderful wonderland for kids," offers ample space, a safer kiddie pool, and water slides for the more adventurous water sprites.

Accommodation Tip: The Best Western Albany Airport Inn promises a warm cookie at check-in: sign me up! Also on the menu: free breakfast, a new gym, updated rooms, and helpful staff.

7 of my favorite travel apps Read Post

7 of my favorite travel apps

Gone are the days of paper maps, guide books and tickets. When I hit the road these days, all of these things that used to help get me around are rolled up into my trusty smart phone.

Here's a look at 7 of my favorite travel apps:

Google Maps: iPhone user who's tired of getting lost with Apple maps? This free app will get you where you want to go. google.com/mobile/maps

Best Western to Go: With this newly designed app, you can search and make reservations for any Best Western hotel and access your Best Western Rewards account—if you're not already a member, take care of that here now because you'll receive 1000 Best Western Rewards points for each stay you book through the app, and complete by September 30, 2013. bestwestern.com

Trevi: Is your phone overloaded with pics from all your journeys? This nifty iPhone app organizes photos into albums and can take one of those images and turn it into a postcard to send to friends. You can also pull of a visual map that shows you everywhere you've been. treviapp.com

TripIt: This miracle working pulls all of your travel reservations (plane, hotel, car) and puts together one neat and tidy itinerary. If you don't have this, download it now! tripit.com/uhp/mobile

Dcovery: Feed this app your favorite travel articles and blogs and it turns them into a personalized travel guide for your iPhone. How cool is that? dcovery.com

Gas Buddy: A must-download for road-trippers, this app will direct you to the cheapest gas. gasbuddy.com

WiFi Finder: Never waste time searching for that wi-fi connection again! play.google.com

The Ultimate Carsickness Survival Packing List Read Post

Family travel tips

The Ultimate Carsickness Survival Packing List

Love this poster from Poster Pop on Etsy.

It's no secret that I'm a die-hard family road trip fan, but even I'll admit: it's not all fun and (backseat) games. There's the whining, the never-enough-snacks, the "mommy I'm boooored"...and then, there's carsickness.

When I came across Shelly Rivoli's list of 10 items to have on hand in case of carsickness, I knew I had to share it: not only has she tackled a rather icky topic, but she's come up with a brilliantly thorough list. In addition to the basics (trash bags, etc.), she's included clever cleaning supplies like squirting water bottles and fingernail scrub brushes.

Read the full list on her blog Travels With Baby - and may you pack them all but never have to use them!

Nothing Says Summer Like Beach Boardwalks! Read Post

Nothing Says Summer Like Beach Boardwalks!

Photo via Huffington Post

There's a great piece up on Huffington Post right now covering their seven favorite classic beach boardwalks, and it has me dreaming of sticky cotton candy, penny arcades, and old-fashioned rides. Sure, there's a lot to be said for glitzy, state-of-the-art amusement parks, but sometimes basic is better! Hmm, maybe I should throw my family in the car and drive down to Santa Cruz...

Are you and your family beach boardwalk fans? What's the best one you've visited?

Thrifty Travel Fun: Newport, RI Read Post

Rhode Island

Thrifty Travel Fun: Newport, RI

Newport may be thought of as a summer playground for the wealthy, but it offers the same amount of summer fun to families vacationing on a budget. Read on for family fun tips!

Take a ride on the carousel at Easton's Beach.

1. Make Easton's Beach your destination for a day of fun and relaxing by the Atlantic. This sandy, 3/4 mile-long beach is spacious and dotted with vendors and gulls alike. Wish you could have packed some beach umbrellas and sand castle building supplies? Not to worry: they're available to rent at Rosie's Rentals. The cherry on top, of course, is the cheery carousel: at $1 per ride, it's the shortest route to ear-to-ear grins!

2. Tennis, anyone? The International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum is housed in the historic Newport Casino, meaning your admission fee ($12/adult and kids free) gets you two for the price of one: a fascinating history of the sport right up to today's stars, as well as access to some of the word's most breathtaking Victorian shingle-style architecture. Be sure to take a stroll around the beautifully manicured grounds, too.

3. If you have doll lover in your family, or a connoisseur of all things miniature and magical, bring them in for a wander through Miniature Occasions and Dolls. You can marvel over handmade porcelain dolls, marionettes, and miniatures, take a peek at the dolls healing in the Doll Hospital, and maybe even see an elaborate, miniature doll house under construction.

Accommodation Tip: Grab a cozy room at The Best Western Mainstay Inn. Affordable rates and easy access to downtown Newport and the beaches!

15 Places Every Kid Should Visit By Age 15 Read Post

15 Places Every Kid Should Visit By Age 15

It took multiple steps and 138,000 votes, but Budget Travel, along with thousands of its readers, came up with a pretty stellar list of places every kid should visit before they turn 15. You can see the full shebang here.

Photo via Budget Travel

My kiddos can check off the Golden Gate Bridge several hundred times over, but there are still lots of places on the list that I'd love to bring them: Mount Rushmore, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and Acadia National Park are all pretty high up there.

Has your family visited any of the sites on this list? What would you add?

Thrifty Travel Fun: Portland, ME Read Post

Maine New England

Thrifty Travel Fun: Portland, ME

Maine's largest city has lots to offer vacationing families, from the historic Old Port District to soaring lighthouses to long stretches of sandy beach. Read on for three budget-friendly family-fun tips.

Photo via National Register on Flickr

1. The Portland Observatory, the United States' last surviving maritime signal tower, stands tall and proud in Portland, Maine, and those who climb alllll the way to the top are rewarded with a beautiful, 360 degree view of Portland and its surroundings. Guided tours are available as well, for a small donation.

2. Pack some GORP and head to Mackworth Island. This legislated bird sanctuary is reached by a causeway from Falmouth, Portland's next-door neighbor, and is the perfect place to spend a morning exploring. A kiddo-friendly, wood chip trail circles the heavily wooded island, and in addition to plenty of birds and other small creatures, you might just spot a fairy or three! The Mackworth Island Fairy Village has been a permanent, evolving fixture on the island since it was established several years ago by local families, and visitors are welcome to try their hand at building their own fairy home.

3. The Children's Museum and Theater of Maine, located right in Portland's Arts District, puts loads of fun under one roof. Kids can learn about Maine through locally-themed exhibits (think whales and lobster boats), along with many other hands-on, inventive exhibits. Feel like catching a show? See what's playing at the by kids, for kids Dress-Up Theater. Museum admission is budget-friendly at $9 per person (theater tickets are extra).

Accommodation Tip: How does the Best Western Merry Manor Inn sound for a cheerful, cozy place to rest your head? Easy access to everything on your sight-seeing list makes this the perfect pick.

Keeping Track of the Family: There's an App for That Read Post

Keeping Track of the Family: There's an App for That

Photo via New York Times Travel

New York Times Travel just posted an article on the recent growth in family tracking apps, technology's answer to keeping tabs on each family member while on vacation. Up until now, my family has always stuck together while traveling - there are only four of us, and the kids aren't yet young enough to go off on their own; even if we do split into two teams, a quick text keeps my husband and me updated on each others' whereabouts.

However, for larger clans who come together (and then spread out all over town) on family vacation, or for older kids who set off on their own to explore for a couple hours, I could see the benefit of tracking apps. Instead of depending on a flurry of calls and texts, these apps let you see everyone's location on a map: simple.

Here's the full NYT Travel article, and I'd love to hear what you think. Have you tried one of these apps? Would you, or do they seem unnecessary to you?

Thrifty Travel Fun: Boulder, CO Read Post

Colorado

Thrifty Travel Fun: Boulder, CO

Fun Pearl Street Mall photo via Colorado4Two

1. Take a stroll down the Pearl Street Mall. This four-block pedestrian strip of shops and restaurants clearly has kids in mind: there's a sandbox, play areas, and the beloved pop-jet fountain at 14th street. Be on the lookout for street performers and live music, too.

2. Go on a free tour at NCAR, The National Center for Atmospheric Research. Their visitor center offers guided tours and lots of fun ways for kids to learn about things related to the weather - which hopefully will be good, so you can go on the short "weather hike" outside, and then enjoy a picnic on the NCAR grounds. (There's a cafeteria, as well.)

3. Would you care for a cup of tea? Take a tour of the Celestial Seasonings Factory! Learn all about how tea is made, and yes, there a many free samples: don't forget to lift your pinkey and put on a fancy accent when you take a sip! (Note: children under 5 are not permitted on the factory floor portion of the tour.)

Accommodation Tip: the conveniently-situated Best Western Plus Boulder Inn has a pool with a mountain view. Enough said.

Improving Family Travel: City Bike-Share Programs Read Post

Improving Family Travel: City Bike-Share Programs

Photo by Nice Ride Minnesota

New York City's brand new Citi Bike program has gotten lots of attention in the past month, and fortunately for us family travelers, city bike programs are a growing trend. Nearly a dozen cities have launched programs in the past three years, and the list continues to grow.

What's so great about these bike share programs for visitors to the city? For families with older kids, they offer a convenient, hands-on, budget friendly way to explore. Instead of relying on scheduled tours, or dealing with the hassles of parking and re-parking a rental car, bikes allow the family to take the city at their own pace, and to hop on and off at attractions of choice. (Plus, what better way to build up an appetite for the best grub the city has to offer?)

Over at Parentables, there's a great list of cities with bike share programs, along with suggested routes for each city. Keep it in mind for your next family trip!

Fun and Original Road Trip Games Read Post

Fun and Original Road Trip Games

While screens and headphones have their place, you can never have too many good old-fashioned games up your sleeve when heading out on a road trip. There are some real gems in this list over at BabyCenter, many that are new to me, no stranger to road trips!

I love Treasure in a Bottle: just drop ten or so household "treasures" (a button, a puzzle piece, etc.) into an empty soda bottle, fill with bird seed or rice, and seal the top closed. Then hand it over, with a list of the treasures buried inside: the kids will have to twist and shake the bottle to check off each one.

Encourage them to play with their food! Pack snacks with architectural potential, like pretzel sticks and mini marshmallows. First one to build the Eiffel Tower wins!

Here's the whole list of games at BabyCenter, and happy road tripping!

Lakes, rivers and oceans, oh my! Best Western hotels on the water Read Post

Lakes, rivers and oceans, oh my! Best Western hotels on the water

Let's face it. On hot summer days, we all just want to be by the water. Spending time at the lake, on the river, or at the beach is relaxing, refreshing and cool. Best Western with hotels throughout the country has many properties that can get you right on the water.

Here are a few:

Beach: You can run right down to the beach and play in the crashing waves at the BEST WESTERN PLUS Monterey Beach Resort (pictured above) in Northern California. Walk to the nearby Monterey Aquarium, go on a whale watching tour, take a surf lesson, or simply sit on your balcony and breathe in the fresh salty air.

River: At the BEST WESTERN PREMIER Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center in Osh Kosh, Wisc., ask for one of the corner rooms, with windows running the full length of the room and overlooking the Fox River. Enjoy a burger or a cocktail at its waterfront restaurant.

Lake: The BEST WESTERN PLUS Lake Front Hotel sits on the banks of Moses Lake, one of the largest lakes in the state of Washington with 120 miles of shoreline.

Surf's Up: Best Western Summer Promotion & Sweepstakes Read Post

Surf's Up: Best Western Summer Promotion & Sweepstakes

Summer is here, and Best Western is celebrating with a great promotion: three separate stays at any Best Western, between June 17 and August 18, earns you a free night — it's as simple as that!

And it gets better: Are your kids all jazzed up for the new Disney Channel Teen Beach Movie? Best Western is also holding a summer vacation sweepstakes, and the winner will be flown to L.A. with three guests to meet the stars of the film. Just text "BEACH" to 347639 to enter - and visualize, visualize, visualize that autographed surfboard being handed over in the California sun...

Visit bestwestern.com for all the details.

Beautiful Airports Around the World Read Post

Beautiful Airports Around the World

All too often, time spent in airports feels anxious and rushed, or endless, monotonous, and booo-riiiing. But what if airports were places of beauty? A new article on CNN has rounded up airports around the world where innovative, thoughtful design welcomes passengers in and provides them with a beautiful place to pass the time.

What a great way to improve travel with kids, too: I'd love to be able to tell my family about the architecture and design we can look out for when we get to the airport, instead of dreading an hour wait in a bleak, gray-carpeted terminal.

Here are two of my favorites of the airports featured in CNN's piece - click to see them all.

Beijing Capital International

Madrid-Barajas Airport

Thrifty Travel Fun: Huntsville, AL Read Post

Alabama

Thrifty Travel Fun: Huntsville, AL

It's high tech, yet full of history; metropolitan, but just a stone's throw from nature. In short, Huntsville, Alabama is an ideal family vacation destination! Read on for three budget-friendly tips.

1. There's nothing better than a scavenger hunt to get acquainted with a new place (and it's a great way to maintain the fun throughout the day, too). Brand new this year to Huntsville, the Lucky Duck Scavenger Hunt will have your little explorers on extra-alert as you make your way through Huntsville, eyes peeled for twelve bronze ducks. They're hidden at various venues throughout the town: pick up a sheet of clues at the Huntsville/Madison Country Visitor Center (or print it out beforehand).

2. Summer travel means the opportunity to take advantage of towns' offerings of concerts, street fairs, outdoor movies, etc., many of them free! It looks like Huntsville has a great summer lined up: check out About.com's round-up of free kid-friendly events, including free movies, weekly open-air concerts, and free museum admission. Visitor centers and town libraries are also great places to check for upcoming community shows and events.

3. Alabama's oldest hardware store, the Harrison Brothers Hardware Store, was operated by the Harrison family from 1879 until 1983, when it was taken over by the Historic Huntsville Foundation. Today, part store and part museum, it's a magical place to wander: old-fashioned tools, household goods, and other smaller trinkets line the store and climb the walls - good thing the hand-operated rope ladder is still in working order! Be sure to let the kids pick out some old-fashioned penny candy on the way out.

Accommodation tip: The Best Western Plus Rocket City Inn and Suites will put you in an ideal location to explore the city - and yes, there's a waffle station at breakfast!

Almost half of frequent fliers never redeem their airline miles Read Post

Almost half of frequent fliers never redeem their airline miles

Two weeks ago, my husband and I redeemed three years' worth of United Airlines miles. We booked four plane tickets to Maui over the Thanksgiving break. If we had paid for these tickets, we would have spent at least $5,000 as holiday travel is expensive.

I felt a huge sense of relief when I'd finally put these hard-earned miles to use—especially since they were set to expire in a year. I could have easily forgotten about them, as so many people do.

A new study finds that 40 percent of travelers never redeem their miles, according to the Daily Mail. An estimated 14 trillion points have been left unused. Travelers say that they don't use their miles due to frustrating terms and conditions. They also feel that it takes too long to build up enough points to earn a ticket, with 60 percent of people saying you need to take too many flights to get anything of value back.

I would agree that these airline programs can be frustrating. Booking those Maui tickets to some serious time on the phone with several different agents. Because we're flying at a peak time, ticket options were limited and we didn't get the exact dates we would have booked if were paying for the tickets. Because we're using our miles, my kids will be missing a few days of school. Booking that Saturday to Saturday flight was entirely impossible, so we're flying out on a Thursday and returning on a Monday. But then again, I can't complain too much as we're flying to Hawaii for free!

The Ultimate Gift for Global Youngsters Read Post

The Ultimate Gift for Global Youngsters

Call me old-fashioned, but when it comes to maps I believe that nothing beats the real deal, printed on paper, made to be bent over, eyes wide, fingers tracing exotic names and the route to far away lands. Sure, young travelers are growing up in a world neatly mapped by GPS, but that's no reason to deprive them of the magic of an atlas.

When I recently stumbled across a newly released book of gorgeous, inventive maps, it struck me that a book of maps makes a truly magical - and truly important - gift for globally minded kids. This one, entitled A Map of the World: The World According to Illustrators and Storytellers, features page after beautiful page of maps created by contemporary illustrators and and mapmakers; going beyond navigation, they map out the history, culture, and feel of regions around the world.

Thrifty Travel Fun: Boise, ID Read Post

Idaho

Thrifty Travel Fun: Boise, ID

Making a stop in beautiful Boise on your summer travels? Idaho's capital city has plenty of budget-friendly fun for the family.

Two young visitors to the Bown House. Photo via Adam Eschbach / IPT

1. Enjoy the Boise Greenbelt! This 22-mile swath follows the Boise River and connect seven city parks. Whether you rent bikes and ride from park to park, look for wildlife while wading in the river, bring bags of bread to feed the ducks at Ann Morrison (one of the parks along the Greenbelt), or pack a picnic and bubbles and spend a peaceful afternoon on the grass, the Greenbelt has something for every family.

2. In Boise on the first Saturday of the month? Head to the Bown House Interactive Museum for a taste of Boise in the olden days. Kids can explore six rooms, including a classroom, a parlor, and a kitchen, all styled in the 19th century fashion, and representing different themes of the era. They'll learn through games and other hands-on activities, including trying on clothing that children in the 1800's would have worn.

3. Is no family trip complete without a zoo visit? You're in luck! Zoo Boise is affordable ($4.15 / child and $7 / adult), and it's a good one, with a delightful menagerie of creatures and a focus on conservation. Check their calender to see if your visit coincides with any special events, like Breakfast with the Lions!

Accommodation tip: The Best Western Plus Northwest Lodge offers comfy rooms and a swimming pool, and puts you close to all the action of Boise.

Thrifty Travel Fun: Nashville, TN