The Inside of Fort Pulaski National Monument

What: Free Entrance Days
Where: 100 Select US National Parks
When:
August 14 – 15, 2010
September 25, 2010 (Public Lands Day)
November 11, 2010 (Veterans Day)
Cost: Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservations, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

This weekend is the second Free Entrance Day of the summer at 100 select US National Parks and several within Georgia including Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and the Chickamauga and Chattahoochee National Military Park. If you’re headed south, you can also visit Cumberland Island National Seashore, Fort Frederica National Monument or Fort Pulaski National Monument as part of the fee free weekend.

Looking for ways to engage your children in nature? Check out REI’s Passport to Adventure or the Georgia State Park’s Junior Ranger Program.

What: Shrimpin’ on the Lady Jane
Where: Golden Isles, Ga. (Includes Brunswick, Jekyll Island, St. Simons and Sea Island)
When: Generally Wed. – Sun., but check the schedule online
Cost: $39.95 per person, $25 6 and under

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a shrimper, then a tour on the Lady Jane is for you. It’s the Deadliest Catch, Golden Isles style.

After boarding the authentic shrimp boat, the vessel heads out into the marsh to see what adventure awaits. A few minutes out you hear “Lowering the nets” and watch as the shrimp nets go into the water. After about 10 – 20 minutes of trawling, the nets are brought up and the sea’s bounty spread on a table before you. In addition to shrimp, we caught puffer fish – all puffed out, grouper, squid, crabs, shark and even a 4 foot spotted eagle ray. The catch is laid out and guests are encouraged to pick up the sea creatures as first mate Cliff, explains a little about the fish we caught. Once all the shrimp are pulled out and guests have touched all the fish, everything is returned to the sea where the hearty swim away and the not so hearty become food for the flock of seagulls following the boat.

The crew of the Lady Jane generally drags the net two to three times each trip, depending on tides, crowds and the catch. After the first catch, boat guests feast on boiled shrimp, caught fresh the day before. While waiting for the next catch, we watched shore birds and even spotted a few dolphins along the marsh. There is bottled water on board for guests and some enterprising folks brought their own cooler with additional kid and adult beverages. Even in mid-July, the trip was pleasant with a cool sea breeze. There is ample shade on board and guests can duck inside the cabin where there is air conditioning if it gets too hot. This is also where the on-board bathrooms are located.

The best part is seeing what comes up in the nets, followed closely by feeding the seagulls and seeing if they can catch the fish in mid-air. A shrimp boat cruise is a great way to not only learn about the sea life that lives along the Georgia coast, but also get up close and personal with it.

What: Westville, an 1850’s living history museum
Where: Lumpkin, Ga.
When: Thurs. – Sat. 10 – 5 pm and Sun. 1- 5 pm
Cost: Adults $10, Seniors, College Students and Military $8, Students K-12 $5
Click here for a $1 off admission coupon

Westville is a working 1850’s town located in Lumpkin, Ga., not far from Providence Canyon . The museum is a collection of 30 historic buildings assembled from across the state, and arranged as a typical 1850’s town layout with commerce buildings in the center and residences on the outskirts. Buildings include various trades, a school, courthouse, church, store, carriage house, gardens, slave quarters, upscale residences and a farm.

We visited on a random rainy Thursday. Two costumed interpreters lead three different tours explaining various aspects of 19th century life. I found the cotton gin and press to be most interesting. Our guide demonstrated a hand crank cotton gin and showed us a more advanced model that spit the cotton out into a barn. The massive cotton press was quite impressive. Mules were used to turn a huge pole that “pressed” the cotton into 500 lb. bales which were then tied by hand.

Westville alone was interesting, but unless you plan to go more than once, I would recommend timing your trip around the various special weekends on the Westville event calendar. During special events, there are more costumed interpreters and activities making it a more enriching experience. For example, staffers told us during the Civil War Days program in October, there is a soldier encampment in addition to numerous demonstrations of life in 1850. Interpreters spend the weekend at Westville and remain “in character” from Friday evening through Sunday night.

What: The Lodge at Little St. Simons Island
Where: An Island off St. Simons Island, Ga.
Cost: All inclusive – Rates begin at $495
I realize the price may not be in everyone’s travel budget, but I encourage you to tally ALL your normal vacation expenses, you may find Little St. Simons Island is affordable luxury.
Photos: For photos from the Island, Visit the Field Trips with Sue Facebook Page. While you’re there, please “like” the page.

A vacation at The Lodge at Little St. Simons Island begins with a short 10-minute boat ride from St. Simons Island to the retreat. You step off to a rustic setting on an unspoiled Island. There are only 15 guest rooms within 6 cottages and a maximum of 30 guests plus The Lodge staff on this 10,000 acre barrier island that includes 7 miles of beach, marshlands and more than 20 miles of wilderness trails. Several naturalists can guide you through your island adventure, or just step out on your own, all the supplies are within easy grasp. There are organized activities for adults and children and the small number of guests means flexibility to find something everyone can enjoy. In addition, the resort has recently acquired a Benchmarked Certification from Green Globe 21, a worldwide benchmarking and certification program for sustainable travel and tourism.

It’s so hard to come up with the best part of this vacation. My husband liked that all-inclusive meant three meals, drinks (including his drink of choice Bud Light), activities and tips. My oldest loved finding tons of sand dollars on the beach, and the food, chef selections that when possible use ingredients from the Island’s organic garden.  (If your youngster only eats PB&J and Mac n Cheese, let the staff know ahead of time and they’ll have some prepared.) The middle son liked the freedom to grab a fishing rod, crab trap or bike whenever he wanted. The youngest was taken with the wildlife, armadillo, alligators, ghost crabs, deer, and more. I loved the total escape, no tv, no video games and a perfect place to reconnect with family and nature.

Although we were provided a complimentary room for the purpose of reviewing it (as is common in the travel industry), we only recommend places we would stay and products we would use.

What: A list of Summertime Activities
Where: Atlanta Area
When: Summer 2010
Cost: Free and Cheap

Last week Field Trips with Sue posted Cheap things to do in Forsyth County, Ga. and a list of Summer 2010 activities. Here’s another list of cheap and inexpensive things to do with kids for the Summer of 2010.

Thanks to Donna Blanton, the resident storyteller at 45 South Café in historic Norcross, for sharing this wonderful list. And thanks Heneghan’s Dunwoody Blog author John Heneghan, for sending me the list.

I’m especially excited about the Sunflower Farm where you can pick your own bouquet for $5. Sunflowers are my favorite. You can’t help but smile when you see a bouquet of sunflowers. I can hear my boys groaning already about the pictures I’m going to take in that field.

What: Providence Canyon
Where: Lumpkin, Ga.
When: Open Daily
Cost: $5 parking fee

Providence Canyon was the impetus for our recent spring break trek across west Georgia. Years ago I had cut out an article in Southern Living on “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon” but life and then children got in the way of a trip. So when I found myself with an uninterrupted week to explore, I decided to build a vacation around a visit.

Providence Canyon, also known as “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon” is a group of massive gullies, as deep as 150 feet that were caused by poor farming practices in the 1800s. There are 16 different canyons, exposing 43 different shades of soil ranging from light orange, salmon, red and scarlet to white, purple and pink. If you only have time to hike a few, canyons 4 and 5 are the most spectacular. Be sure to wear old shoes too. The canyon floor is below sea level and you’ll be walking through streams running through nice red Georgia clay.

Make sure to get a map at the top of the trail to navigate your way and leave time to hike the outer rim of the canyon for a bird’s eye view. Along the rim’s path, you’ll encounter old cars that once belonged to owners of a homestead that is now park land. Removing the deteriorating vehicles would have caused too much damage to the environment and animals that made homes within the junk, so park officials have left them for posterity, kinda adding an interesting twist to the wooded paths.

The park has several picnic areas, including covered tables and a playground. Make sure you bring whatever you want to eat, there isn’t any place remotely close to pick up food. If you plan to visit Providence Canyon, make time to visit Westville, (LINK TO WESTVILLE POST) an 1850’s living history museum too.

Be Aware: The Canyon’s visitor’s center is closed due to budget cuts and although there are special ranger-led programs from time-to-time, there are no park rangers on duty consistently at this park, so make sure someone else knows you are going and will expect you back.

What: Kids Love I-75 Travel Book
Where: From Michigan to Florida
Cost: $16.95

As we get into summer travel season, you may want to check out my twitter friend, Michelle Zavatsky’s new book “Kids Love I-75.” It’s a great guide for families traveling along I-75, which runs from Michigan to Florida and through Georgia and Atlanta. Michelle, her husband and two children have logged more than 30,000 miles along the route and stopped at most of the locations mentioned in the book, an impressive feat.

The book is well organized by state and offers maps of the route. There is also a list of what is available by exit. Attractions are all within 10 miles of I-75. Although some lodging is mentioned, most of the entries are attractions. I’ve visited several of the places on the Georgia list and based on my knowledge of those, Michelle and her family do a great job of letting you know what to expect, in terms of hours and prices, as well as what families will be most interested in seeing. There are even fun facts about many places. New this year is an online companion guide to keep travelers updated on the latest.

If you are planning a trip to Florida, a trip up North or just a day visit along I-75, this is a great travel companion.

Field Trips with Sue is excited to introduce you to another great family blog and local blogger. Jenni Hilton is the author of Forsyth County, GA for Families, a blog about things to do with kids in the northern Atlanta suburb of Forsyth County. The following is an excerpt from a recent post. Thanks Jenni for sharing.

By Jenni Hilton, Forsyth County, GA for Families
I was a working mom until about a week ago and now am transitioning to a stay at home mom. It is an odd but exciting feeling to be able to stay home with my daughters for the summer. So now I am planning on things to do that are low or no-cost in North Atlanta.

I will share the places I find and hope it helps you add to your summer adventures. I live in Forsyth County, GA so this will focus on this area for the most part. I will also update this as I go. Happy trails!

Forsyth County Parks – we are fortunate to have a wealth of parks available for our leisure. Here is a list with plenty of resources. Central Park is a favorite hangout.Poole’s Mill has a wonderful creek and shady playground.

Movies 400 – free summer movies on Tuesday and Thursdays at 10:00 am. The concession stand offers a special size $1.00 Popcorn and $1.00 Soda for these showings only. Join us this summer for free movies. Bring a can of food to support our can food drive and receive a free popcorn! (Free Family Film Festival Size only, Limit One Per Customer)

Forsyth County Public Library – activities, puppet shows and a calendar for story time keep the library a fresh fun place to go. Plus checking out books keeps our reading library replenished at no cost!

Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center- Autrey Mill, located in Alpharetta, has miles of walking trails, a Heritage Village with original buildings and artifacts from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, animal exhibits and replicas of Native American dwellings. All activities on the grounds are free.
9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek, GA 30022.

Chattahoochee Nature Center – walking trails and educational sessions with a low cost admission is fun for the whole family.

Wills Park Wacky World and Disc Golf is a 110-acre park featuring baseball fields, a disc golf course, lighted tennis courts, picnic pavilions, walking trails and two large playgrounds, including “Wacky World,” a unique kingdom that kids rave about. Situated at the edge of the park is the Alpharetta city pool, which has a diving well with three boards, a shaded kiddie, shaded and open deck areas and a concession stand.

Suwanee Town Center Park and Playtown Suwanee – a little bit further away but adventure awaits with an interactive fountain, lots of greenspace and a great playground.

For more great ideas for families in Forsyth County, go to Jenni’s post on Free and Cheap things to do in Forsyth, Ga.

What: Georgia State Park Junior Ranger Program
When: Anytime
Where: Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites
Cost: Free

Once my kids are engaged with an outdoor activity, they can be busy for hours. However, sometimes it’s not as easy as you might think to get them engaged. Enter the Georgia State Park Junior Ranger program. It’s a fantastic book filled with a variety of activities children can do at any of Georgia’s State Parks and Historic Sites or even in their own backyard. As a parent, it helps me lend some structure to our outdoor adventures and gives us a place to start. Similar to scouting, Jr. Ranger’s receive badges based on the activities they complete. Here’s a segment I did for CBS Better Mornings Atlanta that shows the booklets and the badges.

Jr. Ranger activity books are available at any Georgia State Park. Activities in the book range from a water study to a historical timeline. Children can do the activities by themselves or with an adult helper and they’re appropriate for any age. Several State Parks offer ranger led programs around the various activities as well. To see the calendar of events for each park, visit the Georgia State Parks website. We’ve participated in activities such as tree climbing, fishing, historical demonstrations, and of course guided hikes.

If you’re looking for more guidance on what to do in the state parks, try the new Geo-Challenge.

Family Vacation
Atlanta

Things To Do
Atlanta

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.