What: Passports with Purpose
Where: Prizes from all over the World including the Omni Hotel at CNN Center and Downtown Atlanta Attractions
When: Nov. 30 – Dec. 16, 2011
Cost: $10 per chance to win

Wouldn’t it be great to give the gift of travel this holiday season? Perhaps do a bit of good along the way? Field Trips with Sue is participating in a fundraiser put on by travel bloggers from around the globe called Passports with Purpose. What makes the fundraiser fun and different, is that we raise money by giving away prizes to our donors!

Here’s how Passports with Purpose works – each $10 donation you make enters you to win one of our fabulous prizes. Donating more lets you choose more prizes or increase your odds of winning the exact prize you want. At the end of the fundraiser (Dec 16th this year) winners will be chosen at random. Over the past four years, $100,000 has been raised to fund projects for Heifer International, build a School in Cambodia, and build an entire Village in India.

This year, funds will go to build two libraries in Zambia through a partnership with Room to Read. My boys have been introduced to so many wonderful friends through reading, like Harry Potter; Percy Jackson; Jack and Annie; and the Hardy boys Frank and Joe. It’s nice to know donations will go to children who would not otherwise have access to books.

Fresh cookies and ice cold milk await on your first evening at the Omni Hotel CNN Center.

What could you win?
The Omni Hotel at CNN Center is offering a Downtown Atlanta Family Getaway including accomodations in a luxury room for two nights including taxes and valet parking, breakfast for four each morning at the Prime Meridian, four tickets to the World of Coca-Cola, four tickets to the Georgia Aquarium and the new AT&T Dolphin Tales show and four tickets to the CNN Studio Tour at CNN World Headquarters.

My family recently did this tour and had a blast. It was such fun to get away without having to spend hours in the car and the Omni offers several extras for kids including an Omni Spectaular Kids Backpack upon arrival and ice cold milk and homemade chocolate chip cookies on your first evening. Everything you’d want to do as a family is within easy walking distance, so once we parked our car, we never had to worry about using it again for our entire stay. Here’s my post about an Atlanta Vacation at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, as well as photos from our visit on Field Trips with Sue on Facebook.

More about Passports With Purpose and our Libraries in Zambia
In 2008, Debbie Dubrow, Pam Mandel, Michelle Duffy and Beth Whitman, the bloggers behind Delicious Baby, Nerd’s Eye View, WanderMom, and Wanderlust and Lipstick, respectively, began a travel-inspired initiative to raise money online and raised $7,500 for Heifer International.

In 2011, with the help of fellow travel bloggers, they hope to raise $80,000 to build two libraries in southern and eastern Zambia through Room to Read’s Library Program. Being able to read is a precursor to any type of economic improvement, and in Zambia only 71% of adults (and 64% of Zambian women) are able to read and write. Most kids don’t have access to books other than their school textbooks. If you’ve helped a child learn to read, you know that’s just not enough.

Dolphin Tales is the new dolphin show at the Georgia Aquarium, located three blocks from the Omni Hotel at CNN Center

Through this program, we’ll be providing two established schools with libraries. Each library will include educational puzzles and games, child-sized furniture, colorful, print-rich decorations and shelves full of local-language books. But the support goes beyond just the physical necessities, once the library is complete, Room to Read works trains the school’s teachers to make best use of the library resources. That support continues for three years, after which the school is able to run the library on their own.

Thank You to Sponsors
PwP has several corporate sponsors that we would like to thank. Their support makes this unique fundraiser possible, so take a moment to check them out.

Platinum

Silver
Bronze

What: Peter Pan The Show
Where: Pemberton Place, adjacent to World of Coca-Cola
When: Jan. 21 – March 20, 2011
Cost: Preview Jan. 22 – 27 $50. Afterwards, tickets range from $35 – $75. Click for ticket info.
Win Tickets here for the show on Jan. 25 at 7:30 pm

I CANNOT WAIT to see this show! This has been a favorite story for all my boys. In fact, I once had a Disney World schedule derailed by Peter himself. I don’t do Disney without a strict plan. There is no room for error or dilly dallying in my Disney plan. For a relaxing family vacation, go to the beach, Disney is all about timing, there is no relaxing:) So when I casually mentioned, “oh look, there’s Peter Pan,” I had no idea it would take us off on an un-planned, un-scheduled chase to find him (FYI – He’s generally near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride)

Photo by Kevin Berne

Peter Pan The Show, is NOT a Disney remake, it’s the JM Barrie stage production, perfect for my guys who are a little bit past the animated version. In addition to being an urber cool venue – the show will be in a 360-degree CGI theater, erected in Pemberton Place between The World of Coca-Cola and The Georgia Aquarium, the performance is in-the-round and includes music, puppets, and of course flying.

For the best deal on tickets, go to an early show. Special preview pricing is available for the Jan. 22 – 27 shows – tickets are $50 (then go up to $75). I’ll bet there are lots of folks who would like to win tickets too! Here’s how you could win 4 tickets to the Jan. 25, 2011, 7:30 pm performance. Each item is a new entry.

How You Can Win Tickets
Subscribe to Field Trips with Sue by email (and be sure to follow-up and verify your subscription)
Leave a comment: Tell me your favorite Peter Pan story – be it the book, movie, show or the Peter Pan in your life.
Like Field Trips with Sue on Facebook: Post something on the wall about your Peter Pan story.
Follow @suerodman on Twitter: Tweet - See @PeterPantheShow in-the-round @Pemberton Place 1.21 – 3. 20. @suerodman has a giveaway on Field Trips w/Sue 
Email: Invite two friends to subscribe to Field Trips with Sue and join our Facebook community. cc: sue(at)fieldtripswithsue.com on the emails.

A friend once told me she was surprised I could keep this blog going for over a year. “I would have thought you’d run out of things to write about,” she said. Well I am continually amazed at how many cool, fun things there are to do in Atlanta. I’m even more amazed that there are so many free and inexpensive things to do.

Here is a fantastic list of free and inexpensive summer activities for families from Amy Ryan and Amy Rice. We’ve reviewed many of these activities on this blog, so if you want a little more info, use the search box on the right column of the blog to find the post. There are also several videos we’ve reviewed at www.youtube.com/suerodman.

Thank you to Brandi Diamond, Pam Hansen, Patty Harris and Jaime Lackey who forwarded the Amy’s email to me. As summer begins, be sure to tell your family, friends and caregivers to subscribe (it’s FREE) to Field Trips with Sue via email, or Facebook and follow @suerodman on twitter for fun activities throughout the summer.

What: Meet and Greet with Dora the Explorer
When: Sat. May 15 – Tues. May 19, 2010
Where: See below
Cost: Free with admission to the attractions (Win tickets to an exclusive Meet and Greet, see info below!)

If you’ve got toddlers and preschoolers, you know all about Dora. I bet you’re singing the song right now, D-d-d-d-Dora… Well, Dora is coming to town with the rest of her Nickelodeon friends in the new stage show Storytime Live! at the Fox Theatre from June 11 – 13.

Dora is doing a bit of advance work and her appearances are listed below. However, we’ve got a GREAT opportunity for one lucky family to participate in an invitation only Meet & Greet with Dora at Gwinnett Place Mall from 5 – 6 pm tomorrow (Friday, May 14, 2010). If you would like to win the tickets, just leave a comment below and check back tomorrow afternoon when we’ll announce the winner.
Want an extra shot at winning? Tweet: I want to win tickets to see Dora from @suerodman of Field Trips with Sue #ftws.

Good luck! If you don’t win, here is the appearance schedule for Dora the Explorer.  Unless otherwise noted, Dora will be available for autographs, photos and—of course—hugs!

Saturday, May 15
Georgia Aquarium Meet & Greet – 12 p.m.
Dora will mix and mingle with little ones visiting her aquatic friends at the world’s largest aquarium.  Meet & Greet is included with admission.  To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.georgiaaquarium.org.

ALIVE! Expo at Georgia World Congress Center – 2 p.m.
This two-day event focuses on the benefits of natural products and green living.  Dora will make a special appearance in the Kids Eco Fitness Center alongside members of the Atlanta Falcons.  Event entry for children under 16 is free, and adult ticket information can be found at www.aliveexpo.com.  Discount tickets are available with a donation of two or more non-perishable food items and promo code:  DORA.

Sunday, May 16
Atlanta Braves vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Turner Field – 11:45 a.m. (Game at 1:35 p.m.)
Dora will be in Fan Plaza before the game to meet little sports fans and help cheer on the Atlanta Braves as they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Families are also invited to stop by at 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. for storytime with Dora.  Visit www.braves.com for ticket information.

Monday, May 17
Música y Baile and Cuentos! at Imagine It! The Children’s Museum – 2 p.m.
Dora will participate in two popular children’s programs.  Kids will move and groove at 2 p.m. during the educational Latin rhythms program, Música y Baile.  At 3 p.m. Dora will participate in a reading during Cuentos!, a bilingual story time.  Both events are included with museum admission.  Learn more at www.childrensmuseumatlanta.org.
**Dora will have limited availability between the two programs for photos.

Wednesday, May 19
Children’s Storybook Time at Atlanta Botanical Garden – 10:30 a.m.
Dora will lead an exciting literary adventure on the great lawn.  This event is included with garden admission.  To learn more, visit www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

Tickets for Storytime Live! are on sale now. Pricing starts at $12. Tickets can be purchased through authorized ticket sellers at The Fox Theatre Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 1-800-982-2787.  Orders for groups of 10 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000. For more information, visit www.nicklivetour.com.

What: Buy One, Get One (BOGO)Free
Where: World of Coca-Cola and Georgia Aquarium
When: Now through May 27 and May 28

I mentioned the BOGO Coca-Cola tickets on my CBS segment last week, but the Aquarium is new. Both of these are online only offers.

FYI - Sometimes I post quick items like this on the Field Trips with Sue Facebook page instead of doing a blog post. If you’re a Facebook user, please “like” Field Trips with Sue for updates. In addition, I also post on twitter, so if you’d rather, follow @suerodman for the latest. If you’d like to see all the videos I’ve embedded on the blog, view my YouTube channel. Better yet, do all three! Ok, enough pitching, here are the deals…

Get Buy One, Get One Free tickets to the Georgia Aquarium now through May 27.

Get a Buy One, Get One Free Membership to the World of Coca-Cola now through May 28.

What: Wednesday WindDown, Music @noon
When: April – September 2010
Time: Wed. evenings 5:30 – 8 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays at Noon
Where: Centennial Olympic Park Southern Company Amphitheater
Cost: FREE, but you will have to pay $5 – $10 to park in a lot around the park

Centennial Olympic Park was built less than two decades ago for the 1996 Olympic Games. It’s a great legacy of a fantastic event and a fantastic destination for families. April kicks off two FREE music programs, the Wednesday WindDown and Music @noon. For a list of musicians, visit the website.

There are lots of other things to do while you are at the park. If it’s a nice day, bring a bathing suit and towel so the kids can play in the Fountain of Rings, or just watch the water show (although I warn you, children cannot help but get wet, so bring a towel). The Fountains are a lot of fun in the spring before it gets too hot and all the school groups appear.

Wander to the other end of the park and play on the two Centennial Olympic Park Playgrounds. If you’re looking for more excitement, visit the Georgia Aquarium, National Museum of Patriotism, World of Coca-Cola or the Children’s Museum of Atlanta. All of these attractions are located across the street from the park. For more information, see a post I did for Travel Savvy Mom on Downtown Atlanta: Five Family Favorites.

What: Discounts for Atlanta Thrashers Games

Atlanta Thrashers Make Push for Playoffs

Where: Philips Arena
When: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 7 pm and Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 7 pm
Cost: Lower level seats are only $25 (reg. $78), Upper level seats only $10 (reg. $42)

The Atlanta Thrashers making a push for the playoffs this week and they want to pack the house. So, they’re offering fantastic deals on seats for the March 23 and 25 games. Here are five easy steps to ordering your tickets:

1. Go to Ticketmaster to order your tickets
2. Enter the Special Offer Code: THRASHERS (Do not enter email address here)
3. Create new Account (5 questions)
4. Pick your seats & location
5. Print tickets at home or office!

If you missed Valerie Hoff’s Ways to Save segment on WXIA this morning, it featured me talking about Spring Break ideas. Here’s a link to the article Spring Break Ideas on the WXIA site. If you are planning a spring break trip, here are some other blog posts you might be interested in perusing:

Going to Jekyll Island, Ga.? Here are 5 Things to Do on Jekyll Island and information on Geochacing on Jekyll Island.
Going to St. Simons Island, Ga.? Here are 5 Things to Do on St. Simon’s Island

Going to Orlando, Fla.? Here is a review of the Nickelodeon Hotel (note the deal this post links to is expired) and on the way down to Fla. you might want to stop at Wild Adventures in Valdosta.
Hitting a Georgia State Park? Here is information on Reed Bingham State Park, Sweetwater Creek State Park and Sope Creek as well as information on bird watching in Georgia
A Trip to Augusta, Ga.? Check out information on 5 Things to Do in Augusta
Staying in Atlanta? Here are 5 FREE things to do in Atlanta and here are 5 More FREE things to do in Atlanta

Finally, my list of Favorite Finds in 2009 and my List for 2010.

Enjoy the break and let me know what fun places you’ve discovered or re-discovered.

What: Atlanta’s 128th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Where: Downtown Atlanta
When: Saturday, March 13 at 12 noon
Cost: Free, but you’ll have to park in a pay lot around the parade route

St. Patrick’s Day is a BIG deal in my family. If you’re looking for a great way to celebrate, head to the Atlanta’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Saturday, March 13 beginning at 12 noon in Downtown Atlanta. The parade begins at Peachtree St. and Ralph McGill and goes past Woodruff Park to Underground Atlanta. Here’s a map of the parade route.

I LOVE a parade and this one is a wonderful family friendly event. Of course there are the requisite marching bands, clowns, schools of Irish dance with girls in those fabulous dresses and Catholic grade school floats. But this parade also has the 501st Stormtroopers from Star Wars, in kilts no less. Always a HUGE hit with my boys.

After the parade, head to Underground Atlanta for the St. Patrick’s Day party and celebration. It’s a family event with Irish dancers, singers and performers. While you’re there, have your head shaved for St. Baldrick’s.

What: Kids Day at the Atlanta Thrashers

Where: Philips Arena
When: Sunday, March 7 and Sunday, March 14 @ 5 pm
Cost: Kids Get a FREE Ticket with a Paying Adult

Who isn’t a hockey fan after watching the US Olympic team go into overtime against Canada. Not exactly the outcome we were looking for, but I’m sure it’s inspired more than a few kids to strap on skates, rollerblades, or just a pair of socks in the hallway.

If you’d like to see some real hockey action with the kids, your in luck. The Atlanta Thrashers have two more Kid’s Days this season (kids under 12 are free with a paying adult). One is on Sunday, March 7 and the other is March 14. The games are a kid friendly 5 pm.

If you’ve got a birthday coming up, you can get a free ticket to a game through the Thrasher’s Birthday Club. Check out the Atlanta Thrashers site for other discounts.