Pittsburgh Aviary

Pittsburgh is home to the National Aviary, where you'll see parrots, crows, penguins, buzzards, cock-of-the-rock, eagles, flamingos, and a whole lot more.  They have 500 birds across 150 species. They also have bats, a sloth, a skink, and a tortoise.  It's a smaller facility, with indoor and outdoor sections. There is lots of seating and a cafe inside. If you're visiting the Pittsburgh Children's Museum, this is just half a block away. Be sure to checkout the list of events so that you can plan your day. Included in admission are feedings and keepers talks. 

• Admission is $20.95 for adults and $17.95 for kids ages 2-12. If you have a Virginia Zoo membership, you can get in at 50% off with the reciprocity program. 
• Open daily 10-5 
• Parking is $7 per day if you can snag a spot in the lot 
• There are many animal encounters, which is an up charge, but they do include admission. 
• Falcon and Flighted Friend Encounter
• Flamingo Feeding Encounter
• Penguin Feeding Encounter
• Penguin Encounter 
• Sloth Encounter 
• Sloth Encounter and Painting 
• Owl Encounter 

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

Maybe the best zoo we have ever been to, we absolutely loved our day at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. Home to more than 8,000 animals and 600 species. 

We arrived at 10:30 and left about 3:00. The kids could have stayed for about another 30 minutes in the play areas. The park opens at 9:30 and they stop letting people in at 4:30. The park closes at 5:30. Adult tickets are $36, children 2-13 are $31, and seniors are $34. Purchase online to save money. If you have a Virginia Zoo membership, you can use the reciprocity program to get 50% off your ticket. 

The zoo is located in Highland Park inside of the city. Parking is free. There is a mini train and a carousel that you can ride for $4 a person.   

Some animals that are there that we don't have in Hampton Roads at either the zoo, aquarium, or the Living Museum include crocodiles, elephants, flamingos, a hippo, penguins (three types!), a polar bear, sea lions, lynx, wallaby, alligators, anteater, and more. 

Pittsburgh Pirates

 One of the best stadiums we have been to for kids, the Pirates have several areas for kid to play inside the stadium, and on select Sundays they set up Kidsburgh on the bridge outside. 

On the right field concourse checkout the Lucky Climber pirate ship and the life sized bottle heads, and bouncy bridge with ropes to climb. There are several patios, picnic areas, and plaes to take a break all over the park. Also in right field is a playground called Kids Play Land with yard games and a mini batting cage. Kids an get a first game certificate or a Buccaneer Buddy Scavenger Hunt at Guest Relations. 

Checkout the history around the park including the retired numbers, the statues, and the banners of the World Series wins. I used to read the biography of Roberto Clemente every year in my classroom, so it was really cool to see so much history all over the park. 

Good to know: 

• You can bring in one sealed disposable water bottle per person. They must be smaller than 24 ounces. No refillable water bottles. 
• Bags cannot be larger than 16 by 16 by 8, but do not need to be clear.
• We parked right outside the stadium for only $20 but many people took the T or even boats.
• There is a sensory room in Suite 62 
• There are nursing pods around the stadium
• Gates open 1.5 hours before start time 

National Postal Museum

While driving up to Pittsburgh recently we stopped at the National Postal Museum in DC. The museum is part of the Smithsonian, so there is no dee to enter. There is paid parking in garages all around the museum and on the street. It's also right across the street from the Union Station metro stop. 

The museum details the history of the postal service, but goes into detail about duty that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service does does to help protect Americans against scams, theft, and fraud. It also lets kids see the process a letter takes, and the history of the vehicles that have been in service throughout history. Some favorites were us were learning about Owney the postal dog who traveled 140,000 miles with the Postal Service, and looking through all of the stamps throughout history. 

When you go, grab a scavenger hunt at the desk when you walk in. It helps keeps the kids engaged and encourages them to read the signs. 

Fun Fore All

On our Pittsburgh trip we were lucky enough to stop by Fun Fore All: Family Fun Park. They have just about everything there: an arcade with 70 games, 36 holes of mini golf, go karts, batting cages, duckpin bowling, bumper cars, and several kids' rides including a kiddie coaster, a swing, a balloon ride, crazy cars and a jeep ride. 

They have a full restaurant and they serve beer on the weekends. We ordered pizza, mozzarella sticks, pretzel bites, and ice cream and our whole party was impressed overall but particularly loved the crispiness of the mozzarella sticks. 

Good to know:

-Spend $100 and get $50 on the fun card 

-Time play passes will get you unlimited use of all attractions including video games (not ticket of prize games) They offer these in two, three, and four hour passes

-Duckpin bowling and the arcade are open year round while the outdoor attractions are open seasonally 

-Look online for their daily specials. Right now on Mondays some games are a nickel to play, Tuesdays are 50% off all ticket games, Wednesdays are half priced bowling, Thursdays are half priced appetizers, and Fridays are $10 off time play passes. 

Our entire family loved this place. Both boys and adults did putt putt; my youngest and cousin did some of the rides while my oldest and I did the batting cages. Everyone loved the arcade and inside area. My mom found a table and a nice chair outside under an umbrella and read. Score. We spent four hours here. 

Fun Slides: Pittsburgh, PA

Headed to or through the Pittsburgh area, and looking for something unlike anything we have here in Hampton Roads? Check out Fun Slides,  a carpet skate park with 35,000 square feet to play on. You'll wear closed toe shoes and get their "strap on skates" where you'll slide down ramps that vary in length and incline. Perfect for ages 4-13.  They offer a hockey rink, dodgeball court, bounce house (in socks), a Ninja Warrior course, and a Nerf arena. Good to note: there is a bounce house just for ages 6 and under. 

Good to know: 
-closed on Thursdays

-no reservation for public skate is needed

- it's a blacklight facility, so wearing coloring is fun 

-located in the Pines Plaza, you'll want to pull around to the back of the facility to enter 

-We spent about three hours, but we were on a time crunch and could have stayed longer 

-Open Monday-Wednesday from 10:00-8:00, Friday 10:00-8:30, Saturday and Sunday 11:00-8:30

Prices:

-All day admission open to close $24.50

-Two hour admission- $22.50 

-Butt Slide N' Bounce (ages 4 and under) $12.00 

-Parent admission $12.00 (to skate, to watch is free) 

-Monthly membership: $35/month 

Perfect if you're visiting Pittsburgh or driving through the area and need to get some energy out. I'll be sharing my full Pittsburgh itinerary this week, so check back! 

National's Stadium

We revisited the Nationals Stadium on this DC trip, since the Mariners played them right after their series with the O's. Our kids have been before and we all love this park. We got there early to watch batting practice, and the game went on a three hour rain delay, so we had a ton of extra time to explore. 

01. Kids Eat Free: Depending on where you sit, you'll be automatically enrolled in the Kids Eat Free program, where kids can get a hot dog or veggie dog, chips, and a bottle of water for free. There are several stands throughout the park. You just walk up, scan their ticket, and they hand it over. Easy. 

02. We sat in the upper deck and we used a voucher program. Because of the seats we got, we each got a $25 voucher to spend on anything we wanted in the park. This was on top of the kids eating free, so it stretched really far. Where we sat we had access to a cooling lounge, which was great because it was so hot. In the lounge there was free chips and water, too. 

03. You can bring in a clear tote bag or a small clutch, one sealed bottle of water, and one sealed single serve snack bag. They are super strict about the bags. No backpacks allowed, even if they are clear. Even if they are small. Even if you carry it as a tote. 

04. There is a nursing section in section 223. 

05. You'll want to stop by guest services if it is their first game and grab a free certificate. 

06. The Nats have a great playground for kids to take a break at in section 131 as well as coloring stations and large sized yard games. 

07. Sunday is base run day. Kids ages 5-12 are able to run the bases after each game. 

08. The scoreboard pavillion section is out in the outfield and has picnic tables and grass to sit on. You can bring a blanket, and if you bring your glove kids might even catch a foul ball. 

09. Purchase your parking online a head of time or ride the green line to the metro stop Navy Yard. It drops you off right at the gates. 

Laser Made

 I'm challenging myself to get out of my comfort zone, and I love doing things that push me. When I saw Laser Made, I thought it was something my husband would enjoy, but I wasn't sure how I felt about going there or about taking my kids. I'm guilty of having assumptions about what types of people go to shooting ranges, and even though this is a laser simulation range, I wasn't sure. We headed in last Saturday and I really had a great time chatting about shooting and the liberation that a lot of women are feeling from doing this. 

    

Laser Made is a simulation range, which means that you pay a flat fee vs. paying for ammo. (I had no idea how expensive ammo is.) You'll rent a bay for 1-4 people and can choose from tons of games, some more life like, and others fun carnival style games or zombies. 

• Bay Rental for 1-4 people, $35 or $40 with advanced weapons 
• Interactive Target Bay: screen free, light up targets 30 minute sessions: $25-$35
• Private events:  1 hour (20 people)- $200, each additional hour $180
• Membership options available 
• Hours open: Thursday 2-8, Friday 3-9, Saturday 11-8, Sunday-Wednesday closed for instruction and private rentals only 
• Address: 5660 Indian River Rd, Suite 111. Virginia Beach, VA 

National Zoo

While in D.C. we took the boys to the National Zoo for the first time. The National Zoo is part of the Smithsonian system, and it is the only place in the United States where you can see giant pandas for free. The zoo also has a baby elephant who was born in February. It's got tons of animals, so you'll want to plan a full morning or 3/4 of the day for this activity! 

Tips: 

01. Entry to the zoo is free, but you do need to sign up for a pass. Super easy to do, but they like you to do it in advance.

02. Parking is $30 online, or more day of if there are spots left. It's very limited. You can also take the red line into the city. You'll want to get off at Cleveland Park and back on at Woodley Park to avoid walking uphill. 

03. It's hilly. Pace yourself. Take breaks. We spent about 4 hours at the zoo and didn't see everything. It's HOT in the summer in DC. Take fans and cooling towel. Take advantage of the indoor houses, misting systems outside, and the splash area by the sea lions. 

04. You can bring in both food and drinks, and they have lots of options there at the zoo. 

05. Go early in the morning. The zoo has different hours than the other Smithsonians, and during the summer opens as early as 8 am. The earlier you go, the cooler it will be, and the more animals you'll be able to see. 

Camden Yards

We were lucky enough to take the boys to a baseball game up at Camden Yards last week to watch the O's play the Mariners. (One kid's team vs. the other's. It got very heated!) Some info before you head up to Baltimore to catch a game.

• Kids 2 and older need a ticket BUT if you buy your tickets through the Kids Cheer Free program you can get up to two free upper decker tickets with each adult ticket purchased. This works for kids ages nine and under, and they do limit the number so don't wait until day of. 
• The Hi-Chew Kids Corner is a free playground, ski ball, and throwing games area. There is a concession stand right behind it that has "kid food". There is seating and a tv so that adults won't miss any of the game while your kids take a break. 
• Family Sundays are every weekend. These are day games where kids can get autographs, take photos with the mascot, listen to live music, and more. On Sundays, kids ages 4-12 can run the bases after the game. 
• If you sit in sections 76-82 you'll be sitting in the Kids Home Run Porch. Here you'll get sprayed by the bird with water and have a kid friendly viewing area. 
• If you get there early or need to stretch your legs, take a walk around the park and checkout the many plaques and statues. There is a ton of history at this park. 
• If you seriously love baseball, consider getting to the park area early in the day. Walk ten minutes from the park and visit the Babe Ruth Museum. You'll want to spend about an hour here. The museum has information on the history of Maryland sports and is in Babe Ruth's actual house. It's cool for any sports fan. 
• Pre-purchase your parking online. This will save you almost $20. 
• My FAVORITE tip, and this is the only park that I've ever seen this in, is that you can bring in snacks and sealed drinks here. Pack a whole dinner and a sealed drink and you can bring it in right with you. This rule was made for moms. 
  
  

Camden Yards is an absolutely beautiful stadium and we loved our visit. I'm not the biggest sports fan, but I love the history behind the park and the ties it has to the city. Check out a game next time you're in Baltimore! 

Best Waterpark Food...

Goes to H2Obx. No contest. We headed down last weekend. Their policy is no food or drinks can be brought inside (sealed and empty water bottles are okay), but honestly the food there is great, so you'll want to splurge a little and eat there. I rounded up photos of all the menus with prices so you can plan ahead. And...you can save $5 on your ticket by using code "allena". 

Outer Franks- the first stand when you walk in, a quick service cart with hot dogs, snacks, lemonade, churros, and chips. 

Dune Devil Desserts- funnel cakes, ice cream, milk shakes, and Cheer Wine floats. Eat it quick before it melts! This stand is across from Outer Banks Eats. There are several tables to sit and eat in in between. 

Outer Banks Eats- wraps, salads, pizzas, burgers, chicken tenders, fries, mozzarella sticks, sandwiches, and more.  Located past the pirate play area. 

Bait & Tackle- smoothies, acai bowls, coffee. This is on the backside of Fly Boys which is their bar. Fly Boys features craft and domestic beers plus Sanctuary Vineyard wine which is local to the OBX. There are also frozen drinks. 

Dip n Dots wasn't open on our trip, but they do have this stand. 

Heavenly Hogs- Carolina pulled pork, BBQ nachos, BBQ mac and cheese bowls, fried pickles, and fried shrimp. 

My personal favorite of the day was the veggie nacho from this stand. It's a little bit hidden, in the very back of the park by the farthest away slides. My kids ate that thing up. It was a good portion size and they made it fresh while we waited just a few minutes. It was so good! 

That's it! Go hungry. Spend the whole day. Enjoy! 

Color Me Mine: Norfolk

We recently spent a perfect Friday night at Color Me Mine pottery paint studio in Norfolk. We walked in about 6:00 and were greeted right away. The hostess helped us pick from their wide variety of pieces, including piggy banks, Lego and Minecraft characters, animal figurines, dog bowls, trays, mugs, and little statues. Pieces are about the $20-$40 range depending on what you pick. 

From there you'll head over to the paint wall. The hostess explained to us that we needed three coats to make the color pop and showed us different painting techniques. There were all size brushes, sponges, trays, droppers, and everything else you can think of. 

We picked our colors and got to work. I'm shocked to say that all three active boys sat for an hour and half working while laser focused. We chatted about art, resilience, making mistakes, and it was heartwarming to see the boys helping each other out. While I wasn't sure about taking three wild guys into a shop where everything is breakable, they were calm and easy going the whole time. Everyone was asking to come back and picking out their next pieces to paint before we even finished with what we were working on. (There is a book vase is calling my name!) 

They are open daily from 10-9. The studio fee is $10 no matter the size pieces you pick, but check their calendar because there are Military Monday specials some weeks, nurse and teacher days, ladies nights, mini Mondays, and family fun days where the studio fee is cheaper. There are also summer camp, birthday party, and Kids Night Out options, so if you have an artist at home, be sure to head to their website. You'll leave your item for about a week and they will call when it's ready to be picked up. Super easy, you just show up, paint, and head out! 

Owl Creek Landing: Updates

We went back to Owl Creek Landing for a visit over Spring Break and got to see the new updates. Owl Creek's biggest feature is the Nautilus Tower, the first spiral tower in America with The Whorl- America's longest steel slide. Our favorite part though is their canopy walk, which allows you to walk on bridges through the treetops. New to us this visit were the obstacles and play features installed on the ground along the nature trail. Kids will love the nature inspired playground with nets to climb, a zip line, swings, and tree houses. 

Besides the new platforms and structures, new informational signs about the nature in the area were up. 

Information posted on the property says that they are still under construction, meaning that new things are still coming. 

They are open Monday-Thursday 10-5, Friday and Saturday 10-8, and Sunday 10-5. On Wednesday mornings there is an educational walk through the park where you'll learn about wildlife, migratory birds, and the importance of marshlands.  Tickets are $13, or you can save by adding this on to an Adventure Park ticket. Save $5 by signing up for their email list and purchasing online. Season passes and birthday party options are available. I look forward to seeing the changes as they continue to work on the property. 

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The Adventure Park

We revisited the Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium over Spring Break.  My kids are a year older since we went last year and we loved it again, and they were asking to go again by the time we were in the car on the way home. I'm loving the workout it gives us, but more importantly, I'm really seeing the self- confidence it's building in my boys by challenging them. It helps them to control fears and become risk takers, but also to trust in their bodies. My oldest was walking me through how to problem solve one of the trickier courses by telling me where to put my legs and how to balance myself.

Sure, there is risk, but being harnessed in makes it a safe place to fail. In a time where every teacher I know is talking to parents about the inability to focus, the Adventure Park forces kids to lock in and focus or risk falling. 

The Adventure Park teaches these skills with 258 challenge elements across 17 treetop trails. There are 33 ziplines and 6 challenge levels. Ages 5-6 can access purple, the easiest with an adult. Ages 7 and up can go from yellow to double black. Three hour general admission tickets are $74 for adults, $64 for ages 7-13, and $52 for ages 5-6 at the window. Purchase online to save $10. An all day pass is $99. Your visit will start by checking in, signing a waiver, and heading to the safety briefing. From there you'll watch a demonstration before you begin your fun in the trees.