Nothing captures kids’ imaginations quite like piles of money, which is why touring the United States Mint is so much fun for kids.  Even though there are four active coin-producing mints, only the ones in Denver and Philadelphia are open to the public.   The Philadelphia Mint has been closed for renovations since January, and will be reopening this summer.

The Tour

The highlight of any mint visit is, of course, seeing coins being minted.  The mint is not responsible for the production of paper money, however.  That happens at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C.

The tour, which covers both the history of the mint and the present state of coin manufacturing, will probably be of interest to kids aged 5 and older.  Depending on your docent, you may get to hear some colorful stories of attempted gold theft by insiders and outsiders over the years. Read More >

Spring break and family travel go hand in hand. After all, the benefits of taking your kids on a vacation when school’s on a break far outweigh the benefits of having them miss school for that trip. Of course, that means that the most popular theme parks are at their busiest. Fun, family friendly, and exciting: Disney and Universal Studios are popular for good reasons!

LEGOLAND Florida is a great alternative to all those Mickey ears and sorting hats at Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando. It’s in Winter Haven, around 45 minutes from Orlando, but a world apart in terms of spring break crowds. LEGOLAND has always been great fun for younger children; in Florida, the park is also so beautifully designed that parents enjoy taking in the views, and end up having a more relaxing vacation. At almost 40 acres, LEGOLAND Florida is parklike. It feels like a true escape rather than a stressful hurry-up-and-stand-on-line trip to one of the mega theme parks in Orlando. Read More >

If you like warm weather, good Mexican food, and getting up close and personal with your kids’ baseball heroes, you’re going to love the Cactus League.  Even though March is a very popular time to visit our 48^th state, it’s not too late to get tickets and hotel reservations.  If you’re ready to leave the cold behind and head south, here are some tips for taking kids to Spring Training in Arizona.

Try to catch a mid-week game

Don’t only consider games at your team’s home stadium.  The best access to your favorite players, their autographs, and good seats will be at mid-week games.  Last year, we saw the Giants play the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark with just 4,000 other people.   Even the big stars took the time to chat with fans along the first base fence before the game. For detailed information about the teams, stadiums, and how to get tickets, go to the official Cactus League website.

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Spring break is just around the corner. If you’re planning to get out of town with your family, it’s decision-making time. Unless you’re willing to borrow a few school days, you’ll only have about a week.

I don’t know about you, but on a trip of that length, I’d rather minimize the flying and driving and maximize the fun. I usually look for destinations that are pretty close to home. No matter where you live, here are some tried and true spring break destinations to consider.

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