Virginia is for Kids!

I was practically raised in an airport.  Well, not really, but for a large part of my life, I have spent time in the airport.  My father worked for the FAA and after I graduated from college, I became a Flight Attendant.  Needless to say, I have always been partial to flying….until recently.

The last time my son and I flew together, he was “selected” by TSA for inspection.  Yes, my 7 year old son who has been flying without terrorizing since he was 3 months old.  Between that and now having to pay for luggage to be checked, I’ve become very frustrated with the whole flying experience.

So, when we decided to take a trip to New York, we opted to take the Amtrak train.

The booking experience was quick and painless online.  With our AAA discount, the tickets were only $177 round trip for the two of us to travel from Lynchburg to Penn Station on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional.

While we arrived at the train station about an hour prior to our train departure, we learned as other’s arrived that it is really not necessary to be there so early.  We also learned that while Amtrak has a very liberal baggage policy, it’s best to pack a bag that’s easy to manage as you need to lug it onto this train yourself.

Our seats were spacious and comfy with lots of legroom.  We were both excited to see an electrical outlet next to our seats for all the electronic “toys” we had with us.  We didn’t use those toys for the first few hours though as the scenery heading north through Virginia was beautiful.  We passed pieces of history where there once was a thriving train industry.  We climbed mountains and crossed scenic rivers.  As we approached Washington DC, we had a great view of the Washington Monument.

Unfortunately, as we headed further north, the scenery became, well, not-so-scenic.  At that point, we headed to the dining car where there was a nice assortment of pre-made food at very reasonable prices.  In addition, I was able to get work done (thanks to my wifi card – Amtrak does not have wifi service on all of their trains) and answer business calls.  G had a great time watch videos, playing games and took a long nap.

Our trip to NYC took about 7 hours.  Overall, we found it to be a very low-stress and pleasant experience.  I hope to see Amtrak expand service to others areas in the Commonwealth – especially those areas that were once thriving railroad towns.  Beginning July 20th, Amtrak will begin daily round-trip service between Richmond and Washington DC.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is currently subsidizing some of the Amtrak routes in Virginia.  If the trains meet ridership goals, then service will continue and possibly expand.  Per recent news releases, expansion plans include Hampton Roads and Roanoke markets.

Vintage sign from the Keysville Drive-In

Believe it or not, the drive-in movie theater is still alive and well in many parts of Virginia. While many have been updated with new sound systems, radio frequencies and websites, the heart of the operation remains the same. An inexpensive, wholesome place to spend time with family and friends under the stars.

Many theaters are only open on certain dates/days so be sure to call ahead or visit their websites before going.  Also, be sure to bring cash as some theaters do not accept credit/debit cards.

The Moonlite Theatre in Abingdon (Washington County) was opened in 1949 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Starlite Drive-In in Christiansburg (Montgomery County) has been open since 1952.

The Fork Union Drive-In (Fluvanna County) is the smallest drive-in theater in Virginia and has a Facebook page.

Hull’s Drive-In in Lexington (Rockbridge County) was saved from closure by local residents and is pet friendly.

Keysville Drive-In (Charlotte County) has a new concessions menu for this year and a Facebook page.

Park Place Drive-In in Marion (Smyth County) is a newer facility built after the old theater was replaced with a Walmart.

Central Drive-In in Norton (Wise County) opened in 1952 and borders the Jefferson National Forest.

Family Drive-In in Stephens City (Frederick County) is the closest drive-in in Virginia to Washington DC.

Mayberry Drive-In in Moneta (Bedford County) opened in June of 2008 and is adjoined by a diner.

Goochland Drive-In in Hadensville (Goochland County) is the newest drive-in in Virginia; opening in August of 2009.

Thanks to the wonderful folks over at Virginia.org for putting together this fabulous list of family-friendly events for New Year’s Eve in Virginia!

First Nights and New Year’s Eve – Virginia Is For Lovers

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First, let me start by saying I do not make any money off the sale of Kindles.  I am writing this post because I truly believe that this is a great tool for all parents.

I originally wanted a Kindle for purely selfish reasons.  I had visions of myself curling up on the couch and ordering a great book and reading it instantly.  But, things changed when I pulled the Kindle out in a restaurant while waiting to have dinner with my family.

My son had gotten bored waiting and like most children, was starting to get antsy.  Just to entertain him, I pulled out the Kindle and we started searching the store for children’s books.  He picked out a book from the Junie B. 1st Grader series and well, the rest is history.  In the morning, he brings me the Kindle when he wakes up and asks me to read to him.  I keep it in my purse all the time now and whenever we are waiting or have the time, we pull out the Kindle and can just pick up where we left off.  Best of all, when we finish one book, it takes (literally) 30 seconds to get another loaded onto the Kindle.  He actually has stopped bringing his DS and/or portable DVD player when we travel since we have the Kindle.

The Kindle is very thin and lightweight.  It features Whispernet to connect directly to the Amazon store and does not have a monthly fee.  The children’s books are about $2-$4 each and do not expire once you load them.  My son is easily able to follow along as I read to him and he loves pushing the “next page” button.  The children’s books we have loaded have a few illustrations as well which are very clear on the device.

Something I thought was all about me has turned into a great bonding experience for parent and child.

I’m not sure about you, but at our house, we have Halloween candy overload.  Between the left over candy we had for trick or treaters and the candy acquired through the various events we attended, we are a dentist’s worst nightmare waiting to happen.

Even though there is zero nutrient value to most of this stuff, it does seem kind of wasteful to just toss it.  I decided to search for a few ideas of what to do with your leftover take….

1.  Save some colorful candy for decorating a holiday gingerbread house

2.  Have your child leave 1/2 of their candy for the “Candy Fairy” who will come at night to take the extra candy and deliver to children who couldn’t go trick or treating.  Consider leaving $1 under the pillow for this effort.

3.  Donate to the local fire department, police department or library.

4.  Donate to the local YMCA or Boys/Girls Club

5.  Save some for an advent calendar

6.  Send it overseas for the troops.  Once place is the Army Medical Center in Germany (thanks Aunt Nancy USA!):

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center 
ATTN: MCEUL-CH/Chaplains Office 
CMR 402 
APO AE 09180

7.  Donate to a local food bank or homeless shelter (they do appreciate being able to offer treats)

8.  Save and freeze the chocolate for baking and cooking add ins (such as cookies and ice cream mix ins)

9.  Take it to work and give it to the receptionist to keep the office candy jar filled

10.  Wrap some up in green/red cellophane or bags and save for Christmas treats

For a limited time, the Virginia tourism website is offering to mail your “Virginia Memory” postcard for FREE!  All you have to do is visit the website:  MyVirginiaMemory, upload the photo of your “memory” (or choose one of their stock vintage postcards).  After choosing your image, customize your card by choosing a border and handwriting style.  Then, just type a message to the recipient, add their address information and send.  You can choose to send by email or by post mail…both are free.  What a great activity to do with the kids and send some happiness to the grandparents!

This came across my email today and looked like an inexpensive (or FREE) activity for the kids!  These events will all be held and sponsored by your local Michael’s Arts and Crafts store.  For a list of stores near your area, please click here.

The Knack Great Pumpkin Event
Saturday, October 10
10am–1pm

Bring the whole family to Michaels and create your own craft pumpkin. $5 per pumpkin ($7 Canada), includes supplies. While supplies last.

The Knack FREE Family
Halloween T-Shirt Event*
Sunday, October 25
1pm–3pm

Use your hand to make a special Halloween t-shirt that is sure to spook. Just purchase the t-shirt of your choice at Michaels and decorate it for FREE using our paint supplies! While supplies last.

*Parents, we also have an Adult Mask-Making Demo going on at the same time. Learn how to turn an ordinary mask into an extraordinary costume accessory!

The Knack FREE Family
Halloween Event
Saturday, October 31
10am–12pm

Bring the kids in to kick off Halloween! Come and get a FREE trick-or-treat pail! Plus, enjoy a free coloring activity, FREE Crayola® pencil topper demo using Crayola® Model Magic® FusionTM and a Make-It Take-It Halloween frame. Children will also receive a FREE balloon and candy. While supplies last. Ages 5–12 welcome.

What child doesn’t love romping through pumpkin patches that seem to go on forever?  Holding a parent’s hand as they weave their way though a corn maze made of corn stalks that seem as tall as Jack’s Beanstalk?  Virginia is filled with places to enjoy the fruits of fall and Virginia.org has put them all in a easy-to-navigate online directory for us!  So, pack up the kids and take a day trip this weekend to enjoy the crisp fall air and quality family time!

Head to the National Zoo’s Autumn Conservation Festival October 3-4 from 10am-3pm and enjoy an unforgettable day in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This is the ONE AND ONLY time every year that CRC is open to the public.  And this year, it’s your ticket to getting a peek at the clouded leopard cubs born at CRC this spring!

Visitors get behind-the-scenes looks at some of the CRC’s endangered animals, the bird house, and the veterinary hospital.  One of the Zoo’s endangered brown kiwi’s will also be available for meet and greets.  In addition, there will be live music, draft horse wagon rides and cavalry maneuvers.  Lunch, beverages and zoo-themed merchandise will be available for purchase.

Admission is free for CRC members.  For non-CRC members, a car pass is required and may be purchased for $5.  Car passes are also available at the Front Royal/Warren County Visitor’s Center (414 East Main Street, Front Royal, VA) and at the gate each day of the event.

Please note: The Conservation and Research Center is set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The Autumn Conservation Festival activities are scattered throughout the campus.  Dress appropriately for outdoor activities and wear comfortable walking shoes.  This event will be held rain or shine.

Directions:

From the East (Washington DC Area)

• Take I-66 to the Linden/Route 55 exit (Exit 13)
• Turn left at the bottom of the exit ramp
• Turn right at the first stop light onto VA-55 West and go about five miles
• Turn left at the first traffic light onto US-522 South/Remount Road
• The main gate to the CRC will be on your left in about two miles
• Turn left into the CRC

From the West (Winchester/Strasburg)

• Take I-81 to I-66
• Take the Front Royal/US-522 exit (Exit 6)
• Turn right at the end of the ramp and follow US-522 South/Remount Road through Front Royal and for about two miles south of town
• Turn left into the CRC

Throughout the month of October, come to the Farmer’s Market lot in the 1100 block of East Main Street in Radford for all kinds of activities celebrating kids!

Schedule as follows:

OCTOBER 3 – Scarecrow building and pumpkin painting (“scarecrow clothes” donations always appreciated)
OCTOBER 17 – Kid’s movie matinee
OCTOBER 24 – Kid’s craft activity
OCTOBER 31 – Trick-or-Treat Trail

Date/Hours:
Saturday, October 03, 2009 (10:00 AM-12:30 PM)
Saturday, October 17, 2009 (3:00 PM-5:00 PM)
Saturday, October 24, 2009 (10:00 AM-12:30 PM)
Saturday, October 31, 2009 (3:00 PM-6:00 PM)

For more information, call Main Street Radford at:  540-731-3656 or email:  info@mainstreetradford.org