Baltimore, Maryland is a fascinating mixture of new and historic attractions. That dichotomy is well-illustrated in the city’s museums. From art museums to the National Aquarium to the Maryland Science Museum, Baltimore offers a museum for every taste. Below are just a couple of the highlights:

Walters Museum. This comprehensive art museum is housed in several historic buildings, including an early 20th century Italian Palazzo-style mansion. The museum’s more than 33,000 works range from pre-dynastic Egyptian art to 20th century European art. It is widely acclaimed for its vast span of art. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm, except for major holidays. Admission is free.

Looking into the harbor from the Maryland Science Center

Maryland Science Center. The Maryland Science Center, located at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor was one of the first museums to open there. The facility is three stories of inter-active exhibits, plus an IMAX theater, planetarium, and observatory. The Center was voted the “Best Place in Baltimore to Take Kids” in 2006. Highlights include “Dinosaur Mysteries” with its full-scale models; “Our Place in Space,” a look at the planets and solar system; and “Follow the Blue Crab,” which tells all about plants and animals native to the Chesapeake Bay area. The Maryland Science Center is open Tuesday through Sundays and select Mondays. photo credit: kymagirl

Port Discovery. Another Inner Harbor attraction, Port Discovery is the city’s children’s museum. It’s huge, housing more than 80,000 square feet of exhibit space. In fact, it’s among the top five children’s museums in the United States, both in size and in content. The three floors of exhibits were designed by the Disney Imagineering team and are geared towards children ages 2-10. Port Discovery is open Tuesday through Sunday from October through Memorial Day and seven days a week during the summer.

photo credit: rpongsaj

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Museums in Baltimore

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Children’s Museum of Cleveland, dedicated to children up to eight years of age, the museum hosts numerous traveling exhibits as well as several permanent exhibits such as “Splish Splash,” which teaches children about water transportation, weather and the earth’s water systems. It features a two-story climbing structure, a kaleidoscope and the Weather Forecast Center where children learn how water affects the weather. They can also use the anchor desk to present their own forecast in front of a camera.

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

Cayahuga Valley Scenic Railroad, Ride the rails from Cleveland to Akron, and Canton while enjoying the views of Ohio’s only national park, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Many different trips are offered, from round-trip train rides under two hours to longer trips that include a ranger-led hike. Some excursions offer the chance to visit Hale Farm & Village, Stan Hywet, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Akron Zoo, Quaker Square, or the Hartville Flea Market and Hartville Marketplace. Trains leave from Rockside Station (Independence), Peninsula Depot Visitor Center, and Akron Northside Station. Call (800) 468-4070 for more information.

Open from 10 am to 5 pm daily, admission is $7 for children aged 1-12 and $6 for anyone 13 and under.

Cleveland Botanical Garden

Cleveland Botanical Garden

Cleveland Botanical Garden, ten gardens and a conservatory are among the attractions here which include the Hershey Children’s Garden, a Japanese Garden featuring a dry rock stream, the Mary Ann Sears Swetland Rose Garden, Western Reserve Herb Society Garden, a Woodland Garden, Elizabeth and Nona Evans Restorative Garden, Campsey-Stauffer Gateway Garden, and the CK Patrick Perennial Garden.

The Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse features two displays: The Spiny Desert of Madagascar and the Lush Forest of Costa Rica. In the latter, you can see 50 different native butterflies, which are released into the ecosystem every day at 2 pm. In the former, you’ll see native plants plus a variety of creatures seen nowhere else on earth.

From April through October, the garden is open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5:00 pm and on Sundays from Noon to 5 pm. On Wednesday the garden stays open until 9 pm. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and members of groups of 15 or more, and $3 for children 3-12. During the winter months, the garden is closed on Mondays. Hershey Children’s Garden closes for the winter on November 1.
photo credit: stu_spivack

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, one of the oldest in the United States, the zoo maintains a collection of domestic and exotic animals from around the world, including the largest collection of primate species in North America. The zoo is also a botanic garden.

Favorite exhibits include the African elephants, the “Wolf Wilderness” exhibit and the Rain Forest, a two-acre, two-story indoor tropical oasis with more than 6,000 plants and over 600 animals from the tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

The zoo is open every day except Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission is $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12 from april through October. The rest of the year, admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children.
photo credit: Yvonne in Willowick Ohio

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Fossil From Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Cleveland Museum of Natural History, You’ll find a variety of exhibits here covering everything from dinosaurs to moon rocks to Foucault’s pendulum. A favorite permanent exhibit is “Lucy,” the partial skeleton of 3.2 million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis discovered in 1974 by a group of scientists that included the museum’s then curator, Donald Johanson. The remains of this species of human ancestor have provided valuable clues as to when and why humans began to walk upright and evolve larger brains. Visitors can see a cast of the original skeletal materials and reconstruction of what Lucy’s full skeleton might have looked.The museum also houses a planetarium and a wildlife center.

Admission is $9 for adults; $7 for seniors, college students with ID, seniors and kids aged 7 to 18; and $6 for kids 3-6.
photo credit: fractalmind

Cleveland Police Museum

Cleveland Police Museum, the museum’s permanent exhibits look at all aspects of policing. Inside the museum you will find a countless number of fascinating firsts that the Cleveland Police have developed; like the very first police call box, or the first closed circuit camera which was used in banks to photograph unsuspecting criminals. Thousands of old photos and intriguing stories of the officers that were a part of the solutions are found here as well.

Visitors can learn about the history of policing as well as famous crimes that have taken place in Ohio. Some displays, like the Death Masks of victims of the notorious “torso murderer,” may be too graphic for very young visitors.

The museum is open from 10 am to 4 pm, Monday-Friday.

Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum

Crawford Auto Aviation Museum

Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum showcases nearly 200 antique, vintage, and classic automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, automobile culture and aircraft. The Crawford collection is one of the top ten in the nation, according to Car Collector magazine. The Crawford also holds a dozen historically significant airplanes.

Call ahead to arrange to take a guided tour of the Macedonia Preservation Facility which stores vehicles not currently on display in the museum and oversized vehicles in the collection that are too large to be displayed in the Crawford.

The Crawford s open Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday, noon to 5 pm. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $7.50 for seniors, and $5.00 for students. The admission fee includes entry to the History Museum and Library and Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum. The fee to park in the museum lot is $8.
photo credit: Craig Hatfield

Dittrick Museum of Medical History

Dittrick Museum of Medical History, focuses on the development of medicine in the greater Cleveland area. Exhibits include: Diagnostic Instruments, Doctor’s Office 1870s, Doctor’s Office 1930’s, Early Medical Practice and Education, Hospital Medicine, 1865-1920, Laboratory Medicine 1865-1920, Microscopes, Pharmacy 1880’s, Medicine 1895-1950, Surgery and Obstetrics Instruments.

The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday-Friday. Admission is free.

Great Lakes Science Center

Great Lakes Science Center

Great Lakes Science Center, this museum has more than 400 hands on exhibits including an eight-foot-high indoor tornado; the Bridge of Fire, a static generator generates 200,000 volts of electric current and causes your hair to stand on end; an information technology gallery that allows visitors to manipulate digital images and ride a virtual hang glider; and an entire floor devoted to the environment of the Great Lakes.

The center is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm daily. There are a variety of admission packages. photo credit: heather0714

NASA Glenn Research Center Visitor Center

NASA Glenn Research Center Visitor Center

NASA Glenn Research Center Visitor Center, the center features six galleries with interactive displays and exhibits. Visitors can participate in a countdown to a shuttle launch, pilot their own supersonic jet or conduct mocrogravity experiments. A tribute to Ohio native John Glenn features hoto exhibits, spacecraft models and two spacesuit replicas.

The visitor center is open every day, except New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Call (216) 433-2000 for more information. photo credit: stu_spivack

Cleveland Indians Progressive Field Tour

Cleveland Indians Progressive Field Tour

Progressive (formerly Jacobs) Field Tour, even if you’re not a fan of the Cleveland Indians, the tour is worth the trip. Tours leave from the Cleveland Indians Team shop and tour the following areas: The Bullpen, the Press Box, a Party Suite, the Club Lounge, the Indians Dugout, Heritage Park and the indoor batting cages. The tours are wheelchair accessible.

Tours are available Monday-Friday at !:30 pm, Saturdays at 10:30 am, 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 pm from April 14 - June 6 and in September. From June 7-30, July and August, tours are available
Monday through Saturday every hour from 10:30 am until 1:30 pm. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $5.50 for seniors and kids 14 and under.
photo credit: Sonnett

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, made up of thousands of artifacts, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s permanent collection features a number of exhibits, including:

• 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll
• Music of Ohio
• On the Charts
• Jimi Hendrix
• Rock and Roll’s Early Years
• R-E-S-P-E-C-T
• Hall of Fame
• Architects of Rock
• The Roots of Rock and Roll
• Rockin’ All Over the World
• The Evolution of Audio Technology

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is open 363 days a year, every day from 10 am to 5:30 pm. On Wednesdays, you can tour the Museum until 9 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
photo credit: zoonabar

Rockefeller Greenhouse

Rockefeller Greenhouse,  initially used solely for growing the plants used to landscape City parks and gardens, the greenhouse has evolved into a Botanical garden with specialty plant collections, seasonal floral displays and theme gardens, including:

• The Japanese Garden: Developed in the 1960s, this garden recreates a Japanese courtyard with bamboo hut and pond. Of special interest is the Dawn Redwood tree, which was grown from one of six seeds brought from Japan.
• The Betty Ott Talking Garden: Plants here are chosen for their appeal to all the senses. A raised bed invites visitors to touch and smell the plants, and signs give information in Braille type. This is one of only a few such gardens in the country.
• The Mall: A traditional formal garden with clipped hedges and corner statues representing the four seasons.
• The Latin American Garden: A showcase for cacti, succulents, flowering plants and tropical fruits found in Central and South America.
• The Peace Garden features an old-fashioned gazebo as well as rose, herb, and perennial gardens.

The greenhouse is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm. Parking and admission are free.

Steamship William G. Mather Museum

Steamship William G. Mather Museum, the William G. Mather is a retired Great Lakes bulk freighter built in Detroit by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan in 1925. The flagship for the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, the Mather remained an active part of the fleet until 1980. Visitors can explore the ship’s living quarters, the pilothouse, galley, and four-story engine room.

USS Cod Submarine

USS Cod Submarine

USS Cod Submarine, a World War II submarine docked on Lake Erie, the USS Cod is designated Cod a National Historic Landmark and dedicated to the submariners who lost their lives during the 100 year history of the United States Navy Submarine Force.

Considered one of the finest restored submarines on display, the Cod is the only U.S. submarine that has not had stairways and doors cut into her pressure hull for public access. Instead, visitors use the same vertical ladders and hatches that were used by her crew. All of the vessel’s seven war patrols were designated as “successful” and the submarine received seven battle stars and was credited with having sunk a total of 26,985 tons of Japanese shipping.

The submarine is open for visitors daily from May through September from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for senions and $3 for students and military with ID.

photo credit: Nick Bair

main photo credit: photo credit: Charles Burkett

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Family Attractions in Cleveland

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Riders climbing the hill on a Japanese roller coaster

Dodonpa
Fuji-Q Highland

It’s no longer the world’s fastest coaster, but it’s the fastest out of the gate going 106.8 miles in 1.8 seconds. After the launch Dodonpa dips into banked curve followed by a 17-story ascent and descent. Extreme negative G forces. One of the most insane, intense coasters you are ever likely to experience!

Eejanaika
Fuji-Q Highland

A fourth Dimension coaster in which the seats can rotate forward or backward 360 degrees in a controlled spin, Eejanaika features the most inversions in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Although the coaster only Riders go through 14 inversions although the coaster istelf only inverts three times. The remaining inversions are a result of the spinning seats.

Fujiyama
Fuji-Q Highland

One of the tallest and longest steel coasters in the world, this coaster stands 26 stories tall, features a 230-foot descent at a 65 degree angle and a top speed of more than 80 miles per hour. After the twenty three story plunge, Fujiyama’s trains follow a double out and back layout with a number of airtime producing hills and drops that is well over a mile in length.

Steel Dragon 2000
Nagashima Spa Land

The longest, tallest and fastest non-launched coaster in the world Steel Dragon was closed in 1003 for three years after one of its wheels flew off and caused serious injuries. The ride is 318 feet tall and reaches speeds of 95 miles per hour.

Pyrenees
Parque Espana-Shima Spain Village

A 4,049-foot inverted roller coaster with the cars suspended from the track instead of coasting over the top. Pyrenees takes riders up 148 feet and features spiraling tracks and hairpin curves.

Thunder Dolphin
LaQua

The megacoaster achieves speeds of more than 80 miles per hour as it takes riders up and around Tokyo Dome City and passes through the middle of a ferris wheel. The 26-story tall roller coaster starts off with a 218-foot drop at an 80-degree angle.

Vanish
Cosmoland

This coaster vanishes from its 115-foot drop into the water.

Surf Coaster
Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise

This coaster extends 279 feet into the ocean and features several large drops and three helixes.

Bandit
Yomiuri Land

Built in 1988, it was the world’s tallest coaster at 197 feet until Cedar Point opened the Magnum, XL-200 the following year. In its incarnation as “Splash Bandit,” riders are shot with Super Soakers at the start and fire hoses at strategic parts of the track.

Momonga
Yomiuri Land

You can sit or stand up on this loop coaster, which opened as a sit-down ride in 1979. The standing train was added three years later. Momonga means flying squirrel in Japan.

Raging Spirits
Tokyo Disney Sea

This coaster takes you on a ride through the Incan ruins of the park’s Emperor’s New Groove. Based on the Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril attraction at Disneyland Paris, legend has it that vengeful spirits were awakened during excavation of the area. As the ride passes by, the stone God Of Fire statue bursts into flame and the multi-headed statue representing the God of Water rains water on riders.

Kawasemi
Tobu Zoo Park

This steel coaster just opened it March of this year. It reaches speeds of 55 miles per hour, a height of more than 108 feet and lots of airtime.

Regina
Tobu Zoo Park

A 4,377-foot-long wooden coaster built on top of pond.

photo credit: chez_sugi
photo credit: OiMax

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13 Japanese Scream Machine Roller Coasters

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Orlando seems like it would be an easy place to find food for kids. After all, it’s where Disney World is located. And that’s true – there are many terrific restaurants all throughout the city that offer food for children. The problem is that most adults don’t want to eat at those places. It’s not that the food isn’t good; it’s that it’s not great. It’s made for kids, designed to be cheap and lacks the traditional taste that adults want when dining out.

Luckily, there have been some great chefs and restaurant owners over the years who have recognized the need for family-friendly restaurants that offer foods for both kids and adults. As these restaurants have gotten more competitive, they have also begun to offer a better ambience. They have entertainment and a setting that keeps kids busy while they wait for their food without making adults feel like they’re still at the theme park. They provide a happy medium for everyone in the family.

The most famous locations for family-friendly dining are the resorts that are located in Orlando. The Disney World Resort, Epcot Center and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are a few places where restaurants can easily be found to suit the tastes of everyone in the group. For example, Chef Mickey’s at the Disney World Resort is a favorite for all ages. . As the name would suggest, the chef is Mickey and he entertains the kids at this buffet-style restaurant that’s fairly easy on the pocketbook.

Another hot spot for dining is CityWalk Orlando, a spot that provides both entertainment for kids and interesting information for adults at every restaurant that is found there. It also has tons of good food. You can get full information on ten CityWalk Orlando restaurants. The highlights include Bob Marley Tribute to Freedom, Hard Rock Café Orlando and NBA City.

But CityWalk Orlando and the other resort destinations throughout Orlando aren’t the only places where you’re going to be spending time with the family. Here are some other terrific family-friendly restaurants that you can put on your itinerary:

American Pie Pizza Company. If you want to hunt down a chain restaurant that families around the nation love, this is the one to go with. There’s also Chuck E. Cheese in Orlando but American is a better bet for a place that the whole family will enjoy. Pizza for cheap and Playstation for free makes it a popular place.

Andiamo Italian Bistro and Grille. This is mostly an adult location. However, they’ve got a kids menu and some “kids eat free” nights that make it a good spot for families, especially families who want to eat well on a budget. This is a good place to go if you’re going to enjoy a nice night out with the family in a way that treats everyone. You’ll find it inside the Hilton hotel.

Bubbalou’s Bodacious BBQ. There are plenty of BBQ spots throughout Florida but this is the one that’s an award-winning location favored by both kids and adults.

Café Tu Tu Tango. Families that like to indulge their creative side will find that this art-inspired restaurant provides an experience that’s unforgettable. It has perfect dining for adults complete with a great selection of wines but also caters to kids with a creative flair.

Caramel’s Family Restaurant. If you want to try something really different with your kids that’s off-the-beaten path of tourist restaurants, try this Arabian-infused all-ages restaurant which offers unique treats for all types of taste buds.

Dandelion CommuniTea Café. If you want to teach your kids something while you’re on vacation, you can give them a lesson in environmental kindness by taking them to dine at this eco-friendly tea house. It’s not the typical fare that kids enjoy but since they’re out of the comfort zone of home, they may be more willing to try new tastes. If nothing else, the yogurt parfait filled with fruit will satisfy their sweet tooth without harming their bodies with a sugar boost.

Fish on Fire. If your kids are starving as soon as the airplane lands, take them to this family-friendly Florida food restaurant which is located right near the airport. Patio dining will let you all start soaking up that Florida sun. Various events will keep the adults entertained while kids enjoy the experience.

Five Guys Famous Burgers. Burgers and hot dogs are foods that are supposed to be eaten on any vacation, especially if you’re going to a sunny, summery spot like Orlando. This East Coast chain has an Orlando location that will work for any meal.

Kim Wu Chinese Restaurant. If your family likes good Chinese food, you’ll probably want to wait until you get back home because it’s not something that Orlando is known for doing well. However, there is one exception to this rule and that’s the Kim Wu restaurant which is a favorite of locals and travelers alike.

Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House. Kids will love this place because they can flip their own pancakes before they eat them. Parents will love the beautiful nature in the park surrounding the restaurant.

Pirate Dinner Adventure. There are several dinner theater options in Orlando which provide a meal with entertainment. However, there aren’t too many that are interesting enough to keep adults engage but appropriate for children. This one, which has a nineteenth century boat in a lagoon as the centerpiece of the story, is one of the few that works for the whole family.

Pollo Tropical. This is a restaurant that’s interesting because it has many locations but they’re all in two spots: Florida and New Jersey. Until they expand, the only chance you’re going to get to check out the meals here is probably the vacation that you’re spending in Orlando. It’s got a tropical theme with Caribbean-based menu and they offer a “family feast” which gives you more food than you can eat for less money than you can imagine.

TooJay’s Deli. Who doesn’t love a deli? Even if your kids don’t, there are plenty of standard (and super cheap) meal options on the kids’ menu. And there are some nicer choices for the adults in the group.

Ya Ya’s Spanish Bakery and Deli. This is a casual ‘hole-in-the-wall” kind of place. You don’t go for the trendy atmosphere because you won’t find it there. Instead, you go because the food is not-to-be missed. Make sure to save room for dessert because the fresh-baked goods are the best part.

You’ll find that there are plenty of restaurants at the attractions and destinations that you’ll visit throughout Florida. Those restaurants will satisfy your family’s taste buds in a crunch and a few of them are even worth making a stop at just for the food and the dining experience available there. But if you want to make sure that you stay within the family’s food budget while still eating meals that everyone enjoys, you’ll have to look a little bit harder. The right places are out there. Whether you want chain restaurants, local franchises or one-of-a-kind spots, they’re located somewhere in Orlando. These are just the ones that can get you started.

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Family Restaurants in Orlando

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Or so I thought, until I read that Disney World has recently banned children from eating in the Victoria & Albert’s restaurant in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Parents with children aged under 10 will be asked to take their hungry family elsewhere.

The Disney people have come up with plenty of reasons why this is OK: Victoria & Albert’s is a five-diamond rated restaurant that’s not really designed to appeal to children anyway; they say the survey feedback from guests asked for it; and there are no less than 97 other full-service restaurants in Disney World for families to choose from. Plus if I was a 10-year-old child, I wouldn’t want to sit in a restaurant where dinner consists of seven courses and takes three hours.

What I didn’t know is that Disney already has some areas which are no-go for children: There are adults-only restaurants on its cruise ships and some parts of the Pleasure Island entertainment district are also off-limits.

But despite all that, it just seems wrong that there are parts of Disney World that aren’t made for kids, after all.

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Disney World restaurant bans kids

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• High School Musical 2: School’s Out: This attraction opened in October 2007 and features a song and dance show with a family sing-a-long; you can hear songs like “What Time Is It?” “I Don’t Dance” and “All for One.”
• Toy Story Mania: A 3D ride through all kinds of games - you can launch virtual darts, flying rings and eggs at the characters throughout the journey.
• Jedi Training Academy: Take your kids to the Star Wars show and they might be picked from the audience for training on using a light saber and other secret Jedi techniques.
• 2008 Block Party Bash: From Spring 2008, the street parade to be known as the Block Party Bash is touted as the most interactive parade Disney’s ever had, and will feature more than 20 famous characters.
• Playhouse Disney Live on Stage: If you’re visiting Disney World with younger children, then this show includes favorite characters from the Disney Channel programs like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Handy Manny.

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New attractions at Walt Disney World in 2008

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For as long as most of have been flying on airplanes, we’ve heard the initial call at the beginning of boarding that families with small children can go ahead and get on the plane. Southwest Airlines, which has a first-come-first-served open seating policy has decided to change those old rules. Families now have to board at the same time as everyone else.

Families, of course, are frustrated with the change. Families with young children need to be able to find seats located together. They fly Southwest because it’s an inexpensive way to take the kids somewhere. However, they might start looking at other options if boarding becomes too difficult.

In most cases, families will find that they are able to get passengers to switch around with them in order to get the family seated together on the plane. However, this causes agitation to other passengers who want to be able to just sit down and get the plane going. Making moves around the plane with kids takes up everyone’s time.

It is believed that the change is due to an interest by Southwest in targeting business travelers as customers. Business travelers may be happy that they don’t have to wait for families to board but will experience the same impatience as everyone else when everyone is juggling seats to get situated.

How long is the change likely to last?

(Photo via flickr cc)

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Southwest stops boarding families first

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Can you travel when you’re pregnant? Sure, traveling during pregnancy is usually safe but there are limitations.

Not too early: Some doctors will recommend you avoid traveling by plane in the early months, when miscarriage is most likely to happen, or if you have a history of miscarriage.

Not too late: Obviously you don’t want to fly too late into pregnancy as you wouldn’t want to go into labor on the road, or in the air for that matter. Airlines also don’t want you to go into labor on their watch and many of them don’t allow passengers who are close to their due date. Contact the airline to find out what their restrictions are before you book.

Safety first: You’ll have to wear a seatbelt when you travel, whether by air or land so purchase a lap belt extender if necessary or check to see if the airline has some available.

Circulate that blood: Use rest stops when on the road to take walks and keep your blood circulating. If you’re in the air, choose an aisle seat so you can get up and stretch a few times, it also puts you in a better position for bathroom breaks.

Bring snacks: You don’t always know when snacks will be available and if they’re something you want to eat, so bring your own snacks and stay on the schedule you’ve established.

If you have any questions about travel during your pregnancy, check with your doctor, they’ll know more about what your body and your baby can handle.

(Photos via flickr cc)

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Tips for traveling during pregnancy

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There is no bad time to take the kids to DisneyWorld. But there are times that are better than others and Christmas is one of them. You get to enjoy the special events that are available at the park during this time of year. You get to take advantage of special price deals that are offered to travelers interested in visiting DisneyWorld at this time. And you get to enjoy the warmth of Florida at Christmas.

What else could you ask for?

One of the main reasons that people travel to DisneyWorld during the last part of the year is that they want to check out Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. There’s a special parade, a fantastic fireworks show and that air of festivity that gets you in the mood for the holidays. This is a particular favorite of those people who go to DisneyWorld annually because it gives them a chance to see a different side of the park. But it’s enjoyable for even those people who have never been to the park before because it offers all of the normal fun with the added excitement of the holidays.

Of course, most people want to spend their holidays with family or friends. There is no reason that you couldn’t take the whole gang on a group vacation to DisneyWorld. But if you’ve got other plans, you can still enjoy the trip. The Christmas celebrations begin in mid-November and continue all the way up until Christmas to make it easy to plan a vacation to the area for this event.

Don’t forget the sunscreen!

(Photo via flickr cc)
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Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at DisneyWorld

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Millenium Force
Cedar Point

Known as a giga-coaster because of its great height, this coaster rises 310 feet above the ground and reaches a top speed of 93 mph. Millennium Force took 10 world records when it debuted in 2000. Since its debut, Millennium Force has consistently been voted the world’s No. 1 steel roller coaster. In its first six years, Millennium Force carried more than 10 million riders.

Blue Streak
Cedar Point

The Blue Streak roller coaster at Cedar Point has withstood the test of time for more than 41 years. A traditional out-and-back coaster, with a 78-foot-tall lift hill, the Blue Streak features more than a half-dozen hills, a hairpin turn and maximum airtime.

Corkscrew
Cedar Point

Built in 1976, the red white and blue Corkscrew takes its riders upside down three times in about two minutes. When it opened, Corkscrew was the first roller coaster ever to span a midway and was the first triple-looping scream machine in the world.

Magnum XL-200
Cedar Point

Cruising at a top speed of 72 mph, this roller coaster was the tallest and fastest ever created when it debuted in 1989. But what really sets the Magnum apart is its airtime. That feeling of floating over each of the ride’s hills helps make Magnum one of the greatest coasters of all time. A traditional “out and back” coaster , the Magnum’s 5,106 feet of track that winds its way along the Lake Erie shore, giving riders a great view of the lake.

Mantis
Cedar Point

Mantis riders board high-tech trains to fly down a 145-foot-tall first hill at 60 mph while standing up. The roller coaster features a 119-foot-tall vertical loop, a 103-foot-high dive loop, a heavily banked 360-degree turn and an 83-foot-tall inclined loop in the space of two minutes and 40 seconds.

Maverick
Cedar Point

The park’s newest coaster, the Maverick opened this year. The roller coaster begins its journey by climbing to the top of a 105-foot-tall first hill. From there, the scream machine takes its passengers down to within five feet of the ground at an astonishing 95-degree angle and at speeds of up to 57 mph. Passengers will experience eight “airtime-filled hills,” three inversions and a second launch through a dark tunnel at speeds of 70 miles per hour.

Mean Streak
Cedar Point

The Mean Streak features a stunning 161-foot-tall first hill, a top speed of 65 miles per hour and more than 5,400 feet of excitement. Made from 1.7 million feet of treated Southern yellow pine, Mean Streak is one of the tallest and fastest wooden roller coasters in the world.

Raptor
Cedar Point

Riders of the Raptor sit in specially designed seats that allow their legs to dangle, providing the sensation of flight. This roller coaster turns its passengers upside down a thrilling six times. The highlight of the ride is the cobra-roll, which flips riders over, spirals them upside down into a 180-degree roll and repeats the motion in reverse.

Top Thrill Dragster
Cedar Point

Reaching 420 feet and topping out at a speed of 120 miles per hour, this roller coaster opened in 2003. The Dragster is one of the tallest and the fastest roller coasters in the world. Riders begin their in trains that resemble top fuel dragsters. The train then moves into starting position and is launched forward, reaching 120 mph in approximately four seconds.

Wildcat
Cedar Point

Seated in individual four-passenger cars, riders experience a series of hills and tight turns built into the figure-8 layout. The roller coaster is 1,837-feet long and reaches a top speed of 40 miles per hour.

Cyclone
Coney Island

This historic scream machine has been operating since 1927. The Cyclone also occupies the same space on Coney Island as the world’s first roller coaster, LaMarcus A. Thompson’s Switchback Railway. It’s also the site of the first successful looping roller coaster, Loop The Loop. Though the 80-year-old structure has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, it can still go up to 60 miles per hour.

Expedition Everest
Animal Kingdom

You’ll climb the Forbidden Mountain in this high-altitude, high-speed roller-coaster. The rides hurls you through hairpin turns forward and backward as you struggle with the snarling beast who watches over this treacherous terrain–the Yeti.

California Screamin’
Disney California Adventure

The white-by-day and blue-by-night coaster is the fifth longest in the world at 6,072 feet long. Its highest point is 120 feet, followed by a 108-foot drop. Although it looks like a wooden coaster, it’s made of steel. A favorite among guests, California Screamin’ accelerates from zero to 55 miles per hour in four seconds.

Rock n Roller Coaster
Disney Studios

The roller coaster accelerates from 0 to 57 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds, making this the second-fastest ride at the Walt Disney World Resort. Riders experience 4.5Gs as they enter the first inversion, more than an astronaut does on a space shuttle launch.

Mystery mine
Dollywood

The U.S.’s first roller coaster based on the Euro-fighter design, this ride combines an intimate guest experience with 95-degree drops and multiple inversions. Mystery Mine is presented as an abandoned coal mine with a scary history. The coaster features state-of-the-art special effects, audio and lots of excitement.

Hydra, the Revenge
Dorney Park

Hydra features seven inversions, a zero-gravity experience and several drops below ground level. As a floorless coaster, riders experience the sensation of floating in air throughout the ride. The ride begins with jojo roll, a pre-lift hill inversion in which riders twist upside-down after exiting the launch station. Rders climb out of the jojo roll up a 95-foot-tall lift hill, followed by a 53 miles per hour plunge down a 68-degree, 105-foot sideways drop into a canyon.

Steel Force
Dorney Park

With a 205-foot drop, two tunnels, steep banks and speeds reaching 75 miles per hour, Steel Force has been ranked among the top 10 steel coasters in the world. Riders experience over 2.5 G’s at the bottom of the first hill. Two 120 ft tunnels and a 510-degree helix accentuate add to the coaster’s high speed thrills.

Talon
Dorney Park

Talon is the tallest and longest inverted roller coaster in the Northeast. A 135-foot hill sends riders through four inversions–a vertical loop, a zero-gravity roll and a corkscrew.

Great Bear
Hershey Park

An inverted steel coaster, on the Great Bear you ride below the track, not above it. The ride starts by lifting you 90 feet off the ground, speeds up to 60 miles per hour and rips down the tracks through a loop called a half-immelman, followed by a barrel roll.

Comet
Hershey Park

The Comet contains many unexpected changes in speed, direction, and elevation. You’ll start of with an an 84 -foot lift followed by a 96-drop and go through many twists, turns, bumps, spins, and loops on this 51-year-old coaster.

Storm runner
Hershey Park

The first hydraulic launch coaster to feature inversions, this coaster will launch you from 0 to 72 miles per hour in 2 seconds. The ride goes 18 stories straight up, and then 18 stories straight down. You’ll fly through a 135 foot cobra loop, barrel rolls, and a dramatic flying snake dive.

Sidewinder
Hershey Park

Riders are pulled backwards out of the station up a hill where the train is released, and speeds through the station and goes through three inversions, including a cobra roll and a vertical loop. The train goes up a second lift hill, then the lift disengages, and the train falls backwards through the inversions, and returns to the station.

Trailblazer
Hershey Park

This is a family-friendly coaster that has a 36-inch height minimum for children accompanied by an adult. The steel roller coaster is 1,600 feet long and achieves speeds of 45 miles per hour.

Wildcat
Hershey Park

The wildcat crosses over and under itself 20 times during the ride, and includes a curving double-down. The ride is 3,100 feet long and achieves a maximum speed of 48 miles per hour.

Phantom’s revenge
Kennywood

One of the fastest roller coasters in the world, the Phantom’s Revenge travels over and under another coaster in the park and includes banked curves and lots of airtime.. The biggest drop on this scream machine s not the first but the second - a whopping 230 feet that reached speeds of 85 miles per hour.

Anaconda
Kings Dominion

Anaconda was the first looping coaster in the world that went through an underwater tunnel. The coaster gives riders and exciting trip over (and under) a lake with giant twisting drop and corkscrews over the water.

Grizzly
Kings Dominion

This wooden roller coaster features a double figure-8 layout that was patterned after Coney Island’s defunct Wildcat roller coaster. The ride reaches a height of 87 feet, with a 78-foot drop and achieves top speeds of 50 miles per hour.

Volcano, the blast coaster
Kings Dominion

Ranked by Washingtonian Magazine as the best roller coaster in the country. At its debut in 1998, Volcano was the world’s first inverted linear induction motor-launched (LIM) rollercoaster” and featured the world’s tallest inversion. With more than 2,700 feet of track, it is Kings Dominion’s longest coaster.

Hypersonic XLC
Kings Dominion

Hypersonic was the first compressed-air launch coaster in the world and it remains the only one in the United States. Zero gravity airtime and free-fall sensations combine to make HyperSonic an incredible coaster experience.

Son of Beast
Kings Island

A record-breaking wood coaster, Son Of Beast is the tallest wooden roller coaster at 218 feet, with the highest wooden roller coaster drop, 214 feet. It’s also the fastest wooden roller coaster at 78 miles per hour and has the most wooden roller coaster track at one park, 22,612 feet.

The Beast
Kings Island

A terrain coaster that travels across 35 heavily wooded acres of land, the Beast is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest wooden roller coaster in the world.

Ghost Rider
Knotts Berry Farm

A wooden double out and back coaster, you enter the queue by going through a mining tunnel followed by a mine-themed queue house. The ride is renowned for its initial 108-foot banked drop, the longest banked wooden coaster drop in the Western U.S., it reaches a speed of 56 miles per hour at an angle of 51 degrees.

Space Mountain
Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom

The Orlando Space Mountain was the first of fives rides by that name to open and remains a fan favorite. It was also the first roller-coaster ride to occur in perpetual darkness. Space Mountain opened in 1975 but Walt Disney came up with the idea of a high-speed space age attraction in the 1960.

The Riddler’s Revenge
Six Flags Magic Mountain

A blazing-fast coaster with a twist: you stand, not sit, as you race at 65 miles per hour and go head-over-heels six times over nearly one mile of twisting, looping, inverted steel track. The ride, on the tallest and fastest stand-up roller coaster in the world, lasts almost 3 minutes.

Goliath
Six Flags Magic Mountain

Towering 255 feet above earth, Goliath hits speeds of 85 miles per hour over 4,500 feet of steel track.

Scream
Six Flags Magic Mountain

This floorless coaster features seven 360-degree inversions on 4,000 feet of track. The elements include an initial 128-foot vertical loop, a heartline spin, and a dive loop. Its 78-foot cobra roll flips riders over and features a good dose of airtime.

Tatsu
Six Flags Magic Mountain

Soar on the tallest, fastest and longest flying coaster on Earth. Seating is designed to simulate flight. After the riders are harnessed, their seats rotate from upright to a face-down position and remain that way throughout the 3 1/2 minute ride. The 3,602-foot track passes over four areas of the park and reaches an elevation of 263 feet.

X
Six Flags Magic Mountain

Billed as the the first coaster to enter the fourth dimension, X spins riders 360-degrees forwards and backwards. It achieves speeds of 76 miles per hour while spinning riders head-over-heels and forward and backward through a 3,600-foot steel maze.

Superman the Escape
Magic Mountain

A launched reverse freefall coaster, Superman the Escape accelerates from 0 to 100 miles per hour in seven seconds before shooting straight up a 41-story tower. You’ll 6.5 seconds of zero gravity as the ride begins its backward descent.

Shivering Timbers
Michigan’s Adventure

One of the top ranked wooden coasters in the world, Shivering Timbers offers riders over a mile of hills, with drops of 125 feet, 105 feet, and 95 feet. Trains reach speeds in excess of 65 miles per hour, and feature lots of airtime.

Mr. Freeze
Six Flags

Featured at both Six Flags over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis, Mr. Freeze is powered by an electromagnetic field. The ride blasts out of a 190-foot icy tunnel to travel. through 1,382 feet of track at of 70 miles per hour. Then it repeats the process in reverse.

El Toro
Six Flags Great Adventure

Featuring a record-breaking, 76-degree drop, the steepest of any wooden roller coaster in the U.S. , El Toro is also the second-tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the country. The ride offers nine separate “airtime” opportunities at speeds of 70 miles per hour.

Kingda Ka
Six Flags Great Adventure

The tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, Kingda Ka goes from 0 to 128 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds. This rapid acceleration pulls about 1.67 G’, before tumbling 418 feet down through a 270-degree spiral. After this dip, the coaster climbs a 129-foot hill, creating a moment of weightlessness for its passengers, before coming to stop.

Medusa
Six Flags Great Adventure

Debuting in 1999, with no floor, Medusa East was the first roller coaster of its kind. The ride features vertical loops, diving loops, a Zero G roll, a Cobra Roll, and interlocking corkscrews.

Nitro
Six Flags Great Adventure

When this steel roller coaster opened in 2001, it was the tallest, fastest roller coaster in New Jersey. It’s still a great ride, featuring a 540-degree helix spin, a 215-foot heart-lurching drop at 6 degrees, and boasting speeds of 80 miles per hour.

Superman Ultimate Flight
Six Flags Great Adventure

Premiering at Great Adventure in 2003, Superman: Ultimate Flight begins as an inverted roller coaster, tilting forward to 90 degrees before leaving the station, thus putting its occupants in the flying position we all associate with Superman.

Batman the Ride
Six Flags Great Adventure

This thrilling roller coaster features a 109-foot first drop, speed of approximately 50 miles per hour, and a Batman theme.

Titan
Six Flags Over Texas

The Titan features one of the world’s mightiest drops at hyper-speeds of 85 miles an hour. It runs over a mile of twisted steel with huge sweeping spirals, spectacular plunges, a 120-foot-long tunnel in total darkness, a series of camel-back hills, huge spiral curves, and high-speed helixes.

The Rattler
Six Flags Fiesta Texas

This ride opens with world’s largest drop on a wooden roller coaster. Snake through nearly a mile of high-speed action and plunge into a state of thrill-induced shock.

The Voyage
Holiday World

Voted the number one wooden coaster on the planet in 2007, the Voyage features three drops of over 100 feet, with the first drop’s angle of descent a steep 66 degrees. The top speed of the three-train coaster is 67.4 miles per hour. The ride goes underground eight times through five tunnels.

Texas Giant
Six Flags Over Texas

Named the top wooden coaster on earth at 14 stories high, this beast howls at 62 mph.

The Boss
Six Flags St. Louis

Ranked among the country’s top five wooden coasters, the Boss features an unprecedented double-down, double-drop of 150 feet, two additional drops of 103 feet or more, several 52-degree turns, and a 570-degree helix.

Incredible Hulk
Universal Studios - Orlando

Riders enter Project Gamma tube and hear Bruce Banner talking. At the end of his sentence, the ride shoots out of the tbue at 40 miles per hour and goes into a zero-g roll, down a 105 foot drop and through a cobra roll. The Hulk launches riders upward 150 feet and reaches top speeds of 67 mph. It features seven inversions and two subterranean trenches.

Dueling Dragons
Universal Studios - Orlando

This jaw-dropping ride, which also happens to be the world’s first inverted, dueling ride, flings you through the the air at up to 55 miles per hour and at heights of 125 feet above ground. The Fire Dragon and Ice Dragon coasters pass within inches of each other, as the coasters “fight” across the sky.

Mamba
Worlds of Fun

Named for one of the fastest and most feared snakes in Africa, Mamba is one of the tallest, longest and fastest roller coasters in the world. Mamba’s first hill takes riders more than 200 feet high and flings them down at 75 miles per hour.

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Roller coasters: 56 American scream machines

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