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.

Are you

Are you between the ages of 3 and 9?

Do you know a grown-up who will buy a full-price adult ticket to Busch Gardens Williamsburg online?

Congratulations!  You qualify for a FREE child’s ticket!

“For a limited time, Virginia residents receive one free child single-day admission to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg with the purchase of a full-price single-day adult admission. Child ticket is valid for children 3 to 9 years old.

This offer is for Virginia residents only, and is only valid and must be used at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg from June 21, 2010 through August 31, 2010. This online offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.”

Click HERE to purchase this online-only offer.

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.

Families in a Blacksburg neighborhood are looking for your vote. They are one of ten national finalists for the KaBOOM! Promote Your Project Design Contest, a national competition hosted by the non-profit playground builder KaBOOM!.

Over 800,000 communities submitted playground designs for the contest, and now the Mt. Tabor Meadows Commons project is in the finals for up to $5,000 in playground equipment grants! Now the first-, second-, and third-place winners are being determined by a public vote.

Neighborhood resident Beth Lohman said the project started when the homeowners’ association got together to figure out what to do with the common space in their neighborhood.

“We wanted a place in our neighborhood for parents and kids to gather, share daily experiences and grow a sense of community,” Lohman said. “The mission for Mt. Tabor Meadows Commons is to create a place for unstructured play, socialization and environmental stewardship. These opportunities don’t currently exist, but by working together we can create an innovative and inspiring space that may motivate other communities to do the same.”

Since there are no public parks near the neighborhood, the residents decided that Mt. Tabor Meadows Commons should include a playground that neighborhood children could safely walk to and integrated natural elements with conventional playground equipment. Other plans include a community meeting space, an urban forest to serve as stormwater management and a community garden.

The residents worked with the Virginia Tech Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) to secure a grant with the Virginia Department of Forestry to help offset about 40% of the design costs. CDAC will use the grant to create the conceptual master plan for the site.

Justin Boyle, builder and developer for Mt. Tabor Meadows and also a current resident, said the whole process of planning the common space and working on the contest has brought the neighborhood together in a special way.

“With everyone’s busy schedule, it’s often difficult to get to know your neighbors,” Boyle said. “Because we have had to express our opinions, likes/dislikes and come to a consensus, we’ve been given an opportunity to get to acquainted with one another.”

To win an equipment grant of up to $5,000 from a top national vendor, Mt. Tabor Meadows Commons needs to gather as many online votes as possible. To cast your vote, go online click here, sign up, and vote by May 31.

Share

Explore the stunning beauty and amazing stories found in your national parks and celebrate National Park Week!

With the national nonprofit partner, the National Park Foundation, NPS is making a special inivitation to Share a Park, and Shape a Life by helping a young person experience the parks and plant the seed of stewardship.

Also, Saturday, April 24, is National Junior Ranger Day, and children can take part in kid-friendly activities and earn their very own junior ranger patch!  In addition, many national park concessioners are offering special promotions that are certain to add to your fun.

National parks across the country are hosting events andvolunteer projects on Earth Day – April 22 – and throughout the week.

Click here for a list of all participating parks in Virginia.

27th Annual Mudbass Classic Tournament

Saturday, April 17, 2010
9:00 AM – 12:00 noon

At the Duck Pond – Virginia Tech Campus, Blacksburg, VA

The College of Natural Resources cordially invites all alumni, family, and friends to join us for our 27th Annual Mudbass Classic Tournament. This is a FREE fishing tournament for all ages, sponsored by the Virginia Tech Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and the Virginia Tech Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.

For more information, contact Lane Guilliams at laneg@vt.edu or 540/231-2512.

First of all, I recommend splurging and staying at “The Martha” aka The Martha Washington Inn.  This historic inn was built in 1832 and has been a private residence, a women’s college and a civil war-era hospital as well as it’s present use as an inn.  The inn’s library, with it’s fireplace and overstuffed leather couches and chairs, is a perfect place to curl up and read one of the many wonderful volumes available.   The staff was very attentive and kid-friendly.

One of the highlights of Abingdon is the Barter Theatre, established in 1933.  The Barter Theater is the State Theater of Virginia and puts on many performances for children.  Reserve your tickets in advance as many shows sell out.  If you are not able to get tickets in advance, I was told by a local that if you show up at the box office 15 minutes before the show starts, they will release tickets for those who have not shown up.

We had a wonderful dinner at The Tavern.  Again, reservations are recommended.  The Tavern is the oldest building in Abingdon and well worth a peek inside.  They do not have a children’s menu, but are happy to accommodate children with smaller portions of menu items or chicken fingers.  The owner’s attentiveness was most impressive.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to see all that Abingdon has to offer.  We look forward to going back and checking out the museums, festivals and more of the hidden gems here.

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

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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.