Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli
When I recently discovered www.bayareaonthecheap.com, I knew this site could have as much value to those of you planning family travel to San Francisco and the Bay Area as it could for those of us calling it home.
This comprehensive site is a great first stop to find coupons and special deals on everything from your tickets and sightseeing passes (including California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco Zoo, or Red and White Fleet cruises on the SF Bay) to where to buy the cheapest gas for your rental car and find FREE WiFi spots throughout San Francisco and the greater Bay Area — which can be especially helpful when you want to check in online for that return flight or share some of your travel photos with friends on the fly.
Bay Area restaurant coupons, farmers markets, and flea markets can be found at the site as well, plus listings of upcoming cheap and free festivals and fairs.
For more budget travel tips for your family’s visit to San Francisco, see my “Cheap and Free San Francisco” recommendations in the related posts and pages below.
Related posts and pages:
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli
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| When I was young, a favorite pastime was visiting the local pet store, where two macaws greeted customers from their cages near the entrance. |
??We returned late last night from our most amazing Costa Rican adventure, during which I drove our three generations a total of about 530 miles (mostly in 2nd gear) in a quest for “Pura Vida”—the term used throughout Costa Rica meaning “pure life” and good living. We traveled by ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya (okay, those miles weren’t even on the trip meter!) out to a wild and remote Pacific beach, inland to the zone of volcanoes, through cloud forests, through rivers, and to a mountain region where it seemed more Ticos than not looked like northern Euorpeans. We drank phenomenal coffee brewed “in the sock,” ate gourmet chef-prepared cuisine and dined in modest roadside restaurants including one that doubles in the off season as a barn.
There are so many tips and highlights to share from our journey that it’s hard to know where to begin. But when I discovered this morning that it’s the 226th birthday of James Audubon, I thought this the perfect occasion to comment on one of the ways in which this visit to Costa Rica has changed me forever. We were so fortunate to see Costa Rica’s wildlife not just at the major attractions and animal sanctuaries we visited, but on numerous occasions in the wild. I will never forget:
- Hearing a blue macaw screech at dawn, then raising my head to see him flit by my window and land atop a tree,
- Happening upon iguanas time and again—then discovering there was actually a tree filled with them watching me as I stepped out from my kitchen, including an enormous red-crested fellow my children came to call “Grandpa Iguana,”
- Getting buzzed by a wasp the size of two humming birds stuck together,
- Discovering the odd designs in the sand as we walked down the beach were being actively created by crabs,
- Watching a blue morpho butterfly flit in front of our car as I rambled down a rocky road,
- Suddenly seeing a tapir cross the lawn of our hotel and then vanish into the brush,
- Spotting a toucan in a tree while riding horses at a meadow’s edge,
- Strolling to the beach to find a mango grove teeming with white-faced capuchin monkeys—who eventually moved on through the trees and were replaced by a tribe of howler monkeys….
The takeaway for me: “Pura Vida” does not—and should not—just apply to the people of Costa Rica. I will never look at a pet store, or even a zoo, in the same way again.
And now… to the suitcases and stack of mail. By way of a cup of Costa Rican coffee, of course.
Related posts and pages:
Photo Fave: From the road in Costa Rica
Traveler beware: Car seat laws in Costa Rica are more strict than in the U.S.
5 Best with Kids Under 5: Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula
5 things I wish I’d known before moving my kids to Costa Rica
Pura Vida,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli
As the little guy sleeps and the others are down watching tiny crabs create masterpieces in the sand, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to share this “shot from the road.” What a week so far! For those of you who have read my advice on driving abroad with children, you can laugh heartily. Mama’s in the driver’s seat now–and good thing it’s a 4 x 4.
Well, time to log off and get back in the moment. Pura vida!
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli
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| A kid’s perspective on world travel from “The Balcony of Europe,” Nerja, Spain. |
While gearing up for our next journey, I had to smile as I thought back on my own advice on raising a happy traveler–now that I have three–in Travels with Baby. With the exception of somehow raising one of the world’s pickiest eaters, in spite of my good intentions, I think I’ve done pretty well so far (the other two eat fearlessly, for what it’s worth).
One thing I think I’d add to the list is to also instill an early understanding that long-range travel is a privilege the vast majority of people in the world never know–and that we we should always be very grateful for the chances we have to do so.
If it gets a little quiet around here, don’t worry. I’ll just be off practicing what I preach for a while, and I can’t wait to share my adventures with you soon. Meanwhile, here is that excerpt from Travels with Baby.
Tips for Raising a Happy Traveler
1. Start traveling as soon as possible (before they know any better)–babies get used to what they get used to.
2. Discourage brand loyalty–this can help avert crises at Grandma’s house as well as in restaurants and foreign markets.
3. Encourage a palate of universally available foods–rice, yogurt, vegetables, beans, and noodles can be had in virtually any country.
4. Emphasize “routines” over “schedules.” For example, we do this and this before going to bed, regardless of the time zone.
5. Be the most enthusiastic traveler your child knows–share your excitement about where and how you will travel and your child will most likely share the joy.
6. Get a globe or put a world map on the wall and make reference to it often: when reading a story about an Emperor in China, when watching a movie about animals in the Amazon, when mentioning cousins in Indiana, and of course, when planning your next adventure.
7. Create a travel scrapbook just for your child to record his adventures, large and small. As he gets older, he can help choose the pictures and watch for special mementos along the way to add to his travel book.
Related posts and pages:
Nightfall at Nerja
Exploring the Nerja Caves of Southern Spain
Review of Carabeo 2000 vacation rental
FAQs and Popular Topics
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
No more free-range goldfish in the backseat.
As I loaded up our Snack Catcher with Cheddar Bunnies yesterday, just before hoping into the car to run errands with my toddler, I thought: Here’s one of those indispensable toddler travel items you are likely to find yourself using… every day. And the back seat of your car—and perhaps the planet—will thank you!
Our Snack Catchers (similar to Snack Traps) have been terrific on road trips and airplane trips alike, loaded with Cheerios or Goldfish crackers, occasionally with some raisins thrown in to add interest (“Find the treasures!”) and nutrition. As the kids get older, I sometimes throw some popcorn in or even chips, and although my eldest no longer needs the soft, split lid to keep things tidy (she can take it off when she likes), the handled cup itself is still useful—and best of all re-usable.
As I use our Snack Catchers with toddler #3 now, I like to think how many fewer little plastic bags I’ve used because of them. And when I pack along a big bag or box of crackers or cereal on a trip, I just reload the Snack Catcher as needed for our outings.
As I show in this clip from View from the Bay, I’ve found a carabiner (or D-ring) clip works perfectly to secure the Snack Catcher to car seat or stroller straps, keeping it nice and accessible to your traveling baby, toddler, or preschooler.
Related posts and pages:
Quick list: Road Trips with Toddlers
Flying with infants and toddlers
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli
As promised… Here is a glimpse of the World’s Largest Natural Column, which is found in the Nerja Caves of southern Spain. To the left, you can see the lighted path to gie you an idea of the scale of this thing, which measures 42 ½ feet wide and 105 feet tall (or 13 x 32 meters). In case you missed the post earlier this week, you can read all about our visit to this fascinating place and view more photos in Exploring the Nerja Caves.
And in case you may have missed any of the practical and destination tips in this blog or other developments over the past couple months, you can skim over the TWB happenings in this roundup of the past 2 months.
Is it the weekend yet? This post is part of Photo Friday at DeliciousBaby.com.
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 
Bronze Award Winner in Travel Blogs from the North American Travel Journalists Association
