Three bargain ski resorts At these three resorts you’ll find plenty of beginner terrain, deals on children’s lift tickets, and ski schools that teach kids to love the snow.
1) Okemo Mountain Resort, Vt. Okemo calls itself a "family ski resort," and it certainly deserves the title with gentle beginner and long intermediate slopes and an excellent ski school that will put kids as young as 2 on skis. You’ll also find an ice skating rink, sledding hills, and a daycare center that stays open until 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays so parents can enjoy some time off and ski under the stars. What’s more, kids 6 and under ski free, and lift tickets for children ages 7 to 18 are considerably less than adult tickets. Lodging: The Best Western Ludlow Colonial Motel offers special Ski & Stay packages that include lift tickets, shuttle service to the mountain, and complimentary breakfast.
2) Northstar-at-Tahoe, Calif. For parents that want to be right there with their children as they make their first turns, this resort offers free Mommy, Daddy & Me lessons for children ages 3 and 4. The instructor will also give parents tips on teaching their kids. Other perks include a snowboard park designed just for little ones, designated “mellow yellow” zones on the ski slopes for beginners, and plenty of snow parks where kids can kick off their skis and build a snowman or throw snow balls. What’s more, kids 4 and under ski free and kids 5 to 12 pay only $30 for two days of skiing. Lodging: The Best Western Truckee Tahoe Lodge is only five minutes from the ski resort and offers ski packages.
3) Winter Park Ski Area, Colo. This unpretentious resort is best known for huge snowfalls, but it’s gaining a reputation for its stellar ski school that takes kids as young as 3, as long as they’re potty-trained. Families also appreciate the large number of green and blue slopes and Discovery Park, a 20-acre ski area designed especially for beginners, complete with warming huts. Kids want a break from skiing? They might enjoy ice skating, sledding, tubing, or snowshoeing. Children 5 and under ski free. Lodging: The Best Western Alpenglo Lodge is minutes from the mountain. After a day on the runs, the family can return to the hotel to soak in the hot tub that fits 14 people.
Three ways to save on family ski vacations With a little planning you can go on a ski vacation that won’t break the bank.
1) Ski at off-peak times. It is usually less expensive (and less crowded) to ski during the week. Avoid holidays—such as President’s and Martin Luther King weekends. Early January, right after New Year’s Eve when kids are returning to school is one of the best times for deals. Another time to score deals is in the spring, just before the snow melts.
2) Go for freebies. Many resorts offer deals where kids ski free. Buy an adult ski lift ticket for five or more days at Steamboat Springs in the Colorado Rockies and you'll get a free 12-and-under child's lift ticket for the same number of days. Look for similar deals at Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor and New Mexico’s Red River.
3) Save on equipment rental. Price out equipment rental on your resort's Web site in advance of your trip. By pre-booking online you can sometimes save up to 20 percent or more off the overall rental cost. Also, look for discounts on SkiCoupons.com and RentSkis.com.
My grandfather lived on the island of Kauai and growing up my family visited for two weeks every December. Every day, we swam in the ocean, wore shorts and flip-flops, and played under the sun until our skin turned dark brown. Christmas was always spent at Mahalapu Beach where we went snorkeling, combed the sand for cowrie shells, and barbecued teriyaki chicken that we folded with rings of pineapple pineapple into sweet Hawaiian rolls. We were warm and happy.
My husband and I have continued the tradition of spending a week or two in the tropics--by cobbling together some sort of package deal, or usurping some relatives' frequent-flier miles. (I'm rather crafty when it comes to putting together trips.) Last year, we were really adventurous and took our two kids to Bali. The year before, I came across an amazing Waikiki package deal. The year before, my brother was conveniently living in Vietnam, and we had enough frequent flier miles to get the entire family there.
Wedding in Mexico, college friend living in Hawaii, aunt residing in the the Caribbean--I always find a reason to visit a place where the palm trees sway and the average temperature is over 75 degrees.
But not this year.
This winter, we're skimping on travel. The Bali trip at the beginning of the year busted our budget, and then there was the 10-year anniversary trip to Barcelona in the summer. We're trying to save some money so we can take the entire family to Europe this summer, and so we decided to not hop on a plane this winter. Instead, we're making a few road-trips to the snow.
Already I'm regretting our decision. Already, I'm going crazy. Already, I'm dreaming of a place far, far away where the air is damp and warm and smells of flowers.
I have had a cold for the past two months. My doctor says it's allergies and I know that it would clear up in an instant on a beach in Kauai, or in Tahiti, the Philippines? I hear Goa is good...
I'm beginning to wonder, is it so wise to save for Europe? Couldn't we just break up those frequent-flier miles into two trips, say Mexico next month, and then we could just go to Maine in the summer.
Is it really worth skimping on travel, especially in the winter, when you live in a house where your thermostat reads 52-degrees in the morning? I'm cold, to my bones, and I could really use a beach break.
It's the end of the year and travel Web sites are assembling their "best of" lists. I especially liked WorldHum.com's best travel videos of 2009 list. So many of us keep the camera running while we're on the road, but how many of us actually take the time to create a finished--i.e., edited--product? These videos are clever, entertaining, and in some cases, laugh-out-loud funny. And they offer a view into some pretty cool experiences. Have you ever wondered what it's like to scuba dive in a newly flooded meadow or climb Mt. Everest?
But I think my favorite video (watch below) documents travelers who are obsessed with collecting frequent-flier miles. These are people who fly places--say Japan--simply to up their mileage count, or they'll fly out of their way to stop in JFK because it has the best airline lounges. The goal: elite status.
Where will you be traveling in 2010? Lonely Planet has some ideas for you. The guidebook company released its latest title, Best in Travel 2010, a collection of the best places to go and the best things to do around the world for the year ahead.
Here's a rundown of the places LP says are hot! hot! hot!
Top 10 countries: El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname, and the USA.
Top 10 regions: Alsace, France; Bali, Indonesia; Fernando de Noronha, islands off Brazil; Goa, India; Koh Kong Conservation Corridor, Cambodia; Lake Baikal, Siberia; Oaxaca, Mexico; Southern Africa; The Lake District, England (pictured above); and Southwest Western Australia.
Top 10 cities: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Charleston, S.C.; Cork, Ireland; Cuenca, Ecuador; Istanbul, Turkey; Kyoto, Japan; Lecce, Italy; Sarajevo, Bosnia; Singapore; and Vancouver.
Top 10 value destinations: Iceland, Thailand, London, South Africa, Malaysia, Mexico, India, Bulgaria, Kenya, and Las Vegas.
An excerpt from a recent article in The New York Times on why January is the best month for travelers:
January may be the best time of year to take a vacation, as passenger traffic drops and resorts, airlines and cruise companies all roll out deals. Yet the start of the year is often overlooked when it comes to vacation planning: families return to school schedules and New Year’s reveling is traded for resolutions of eating in, working out and spending less. And it’s no wonder. People are tired, or broke, or dreading the thought of getting on another plane.
“You could call it vacation fatigue,” said Evan Eggers, president of the cruise vacation site SureCruise.com. But a lot of travelers are missing out. It’s a great time to travel, Mr. Eggers said, “since you’re escaping the cold and getting a killer deal.”
Just how killer? Discounts range from 30 to 50 percent compared with the holidays and other busy travel periods. Hilton Hotels just introduced a January Sale with weekend rates 33 percent off hotels in North and South America. The average domestic airfare for a weeklong trip departing Saturdays in January is $274 round trip, according to Bing Travel, the Microsoft search engine that predicts airfare prices. That’s down from about $447 on average for Christmas week.
Are you going on a trip in January? Did you score a good deal?
Best Western just introduced its first mobile application, called Best Western To Go. The free iPhone application gives travelers the convenience of booking reservations on the go among other features.
Here's a rundown of what you can do with the new app:
Search and Book: Find and book reservations at more than 4,000 Best Western hotels in over 80 countries worldwide. Program: Create an itinerary and input addresses of attractions and restaurants. Once these have been entered, users can easily find their location using the app’s GPS-enabled map.
Personalize: Capture and categorize favorite locations in specific destinations. Travelers can also upload photos and descriptions to remember the locale.
Socialize: Stay connected with family and friends by sharing an experience, such as a lunch at a kitschy diner or a souvenir purchase. Travelers can push this information directly from the app to their Facebook page, email or to other iPhone users.
We're in the midst of the busiest travel time of the year when people who rarely fly, or have never flown, take to the skies, and airport security signs get painfully long. The TSA—the Transportation Security Administration—wants to provide some clarification and tips for travelers to help speed up those lines.
Here’s some guidance related to the most common questions the TSA has been hearing lately. Please remember that each time the officers have to search a bag or a person, the line slows down.
The 4-1-1 on 3-1-1 (Liquids, Gels & Aerosols): If you’re checking a bag, make it easy on yourself and just put your liquids in your checked luggage. That way, you don’t have to worry about 3-1-1. I know that suggestion doesn’t work for everybody. Some liquids are essential and some of you understandably would not like to pay to check your luggage. If you’d rather take liquids in your carry-on, please continue reading…
3-1-1 is the name for our liquid policy. You can read here for more details, but here is the gist of 3-1-1… Each passenger is allowed to take one clear quart-sized sealable bag and fill it with as many liquids in 3.4 oz or less sized containers that will fit, while still being able to seal the bag. Basically, don’t stuff it to the point where it won’t close.
Make sure you take the bag out of your carry-on prior to sending it through the X-ray, or our officers may have to search your bag.
If you have liquids, aerosols, or gels that are used for medical purposes, they do not need to adhere to our 3-1-1 policies and do not have to be placed in a bag. You may be asked to go through a TSA Family Lane (see below) so the TSA can expedite the screening process. The liquids, gels and aerosols will need to be removed from your bags.
Answers to common questions: Stick deodorant is not limited to 3.4 oz or less, but gel or spray deodorant is. Also, any liquid makeup such as eyeliner should be placed in the baggie. That goes for perfume as well. Powder makeup is fine.
Family Lanes: Frequent flyers hate it when they’re in line behind a family, and guess what… families hate it when the frequent flyer is behind them tapping their foot and sighing. That’s why the TSA created Family Lanes. They’re designed to let families take their time and ask questions without feeling rushed by the experienced frequent flyers who can zip through a checkpoint in no time. Also, as stated earlier, anybody carrying medically necessary liquids, aerosols and gels in excess of 3.4 oz may be directed to a Family Lane.
Foods: Pies are permitted, but they are subject to additional screening if our officers see any anomalies. (Additional screening of pies does not include our officers tasting the pie, no matter what they tell you…) Cakes, bread, donuts, turkeys, etc. are all permitted. If it’s a live turkey, you might want to have a word with the airline. Here is a list of items that should be placed in your checked bags or shipped: cranberry sauce, creamy dips and spreads (cheeses, peanut butter, etc.), gift baskets with food items (salsa, jams and salad dressings), gravy (mmm gravy), jams, jellies, maple syrup, oils and vinegars, sauces, soups, wine, liquor and beer.
Gifts: Wrapped gifts may need to be unwrapped. If there’s something in the gift that needs to be inspected, security screeners have to open it. Our officers try their best not to mangle the gift wrap, but it’s not a guarantee and it also slows down the line for everybody else when security has to do this. It is suggested that you wrap the presents when you arrive at your destination. You also have the option of shipping the items as well.Snow Globes: The TSA is not in cahoots with the Heat Miser, but snow globes are not permitted in your carry-on luggage. They are sealed containers full of liquid that would have to be opened and destroyed to test. The TSA is not in the business of busting snow globes, so they suggest you place them in your checked baggage or mail them ahead of time
ID & Boarding Pass Checking & Secure Flight: As you approach a TSA checkpoint, you will see an officer checking IDs and boarding passes. Please have your acceptable ID and boarding pass out and ready to present to our officer. If your ID is in a plastic sheath or other type of holder, it will need to be removed so our officers can properly inspect your IDs. By having your ID and boarding pass out and ready, you’ll help move the line along faster. The several seconds it takes to get your ID and boarding pass out might not seem like much time, but it really adds up when you’ve got people in line behind you.
Also, folks have had questions about the Secure Flight program and whether the name on your ticket has to match the name on your ID. The Secure Flight watch-list matching process occurs before a passenger even gets to the airport so if you get a boarding pass, the Secure Flight watch-list matching process is done. In other words, you are clear once you get that pass.
If you have lost or forgotten your ID, you will still be permitted to fly as long as you help us verify you are who you say you are by answering a few questions for us.
Inconsistencies: You may notice your screening experience at one airport doesn't match the experience of another airport. The TSA realizes this happens, and some of it is intentional. While it can be a little confusing for our passengers, it also makes things unpredictable for those who might wish to do us harm. Our officers also can use their discretion in different scenarios that allows them to use common sense and not abide by a checklist mentality that can be studied and defeated by those who wish to do us harm.
Shoes on Belt: The TSA recommends that you place your shoes on the X-ray belt as opposed to placing them in a bin. Why? It keeps the bins from getting too cluttered and allows our officers to get a better look at items to ensure prohibited items do not get on the plane. It also speeds things up when they get a better view and don't have to stop the X-ray belt for searches.
Author Tim Brookes, honored by the New York Times and Booklist as one of the best travel writers in America, is back.
Already internationally known as a longtime NPR commentator and the author of the hitchhiking classic A Hell of a Place to Lose a Cow, Brookes’s latest travel epic is Thirty Percent Chance of Enlightenment.
Often hilarious, ultimately profound, Thirty Percent Chance of Enlightenment begins when Tim Brookes receives a phone call from his editor at National Geographic asking if he’d like to write an article on weather forecasting—an assignment that doesn’t go as forecast.
Brookes, who directs the writing program at Champlain College, embarks on an adventure that starts in a hurricane on an icy mountaintop in New Hampshire and takes him to India to watch the monsoon come ashore and write about the elaborate, almost mystical art of monsoon forecasting. When the rain begins, however, a series of misunderstandings finds him banned from every single office of the India Meteorological Department.
Before long, his journey turns into a cross-country road trip in search of the true meaning of the monsoon—a trip that takes him through the spice villages high in the Western Ghats, to a Hindu wedding at which all the main participants end up drenched, and leaves him ankle-deep in a holy river where the temple elephants bathe. He discovers the history of the umbrella, the bizarre ritual of rain-inducing donkey weddings, and for his erratic and dusty labors, he ends up being rewarded with a glimpse into the spiritual nature of water.
“It’s one of those journeys,” Brookes says, “where you get so deeply enmeshed in the people and the place and the subject that you become slightly insane. You end up having insights that are either signs of genius or signs of madness. Either way, I’ll never think of weather forecasting or water in the same way again.”
Last week, the New York Times published a guide to affordable ski areas throughout the country--and the paper reports that resorts are skiers with "special deals, cheaper flights and other enticements to lure skiers back." They claim that last year in the midst of the recession, everyone skied mountains in their own backyard--i.e., close to home. But this year things are looking "sunnier" and people are bound to travel again, especially with so many deals.
The paper reports on affordable skiing at Alta, Utah; Aspen, Colo.; Jackson Hole, Wyo., Jay Peak, Vt.; Revelstoke, B.C.; South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Sunday River, Maine; Whistler, B.C.; Winter Park, Colo.; Wolf Creek, Colo. To read up on these places, click here.
Are you making plans to go on a skiing vacation this winter?
I was so excited when I saw the bottles of Tupelo honey for sale at a store in Savannah, Ga.
Some say Tupelo Honey, produced in the South, is the "gold standard" by which all other honey are measured. My husband was doing some work in Florida a few years ago and picked up a jar. For weeks hee spread it on his toast every morning for breakfast.
I immediately bought a bottle--I had found a Christmas gift for a man who is nearly impossible to shop for. Eureka!
Back at the hotel, I stuffed the honey into my suitcase. I couldn't wait to wrap it at home and put it under the tree.
Well, the honey never made it home because I carried on my bag--trying to avoid the $15 fee for checking it. When I passed through security the honey showed up in an x-ray. I had completely forgotten about the liquid rule (you can carry only 3-counce containers of liquid or gel on the plane.)
The security worker pulled the honey out of the bag. "You can't take this on the plane," she said.
"That would have been a great gift!" said my husband, who was practically drooling.
I paid $15 for the honey so I should have checked my bag--cheaper than ordering another bottle online. But at that point it was too late. Our plane was at the gate and there was no time to check our bag and then go back through security. My effort to avoid the baggage fee backfired.
One of my favorite books as a child was the National Geographic title, Explore a Spooky Swamp. It told the story of Willie and Isabella who go on a boat tour of the Okefenoke Swamp with a guide named Johnny.
Johnny shows the children tiny frogs, a snapping turtle, and a mother alligator defending her nest. They float under a canopy of trees laden with Spanish moss.
My father read me the book again and again, and I always dreamed of visiting the swamp. But I never knew exactly where this mysterious place was until I was looking for a place to stay overnight between Charleston and Jacksonville, Fl.—I wanted to break up the drive.
Looking at a map, I noticed this great big swamp in Waycross, Ga, about an hour outside of Jacksonville. It was the Okefenoke Wildlife Refuge, and it immediately click that it was the place featured in the book. The swamp was fresh in my mind because I still have the book and I had read it to my kids only days before. I booked a hotel and packed the book in my suitcase.
When we arrived in Waycross, my daughter was the one who first spotted the Okefenoke Swamp billboard advertisement with a huge alligator.
"I don't want to go! I don't want to see an alligator!"
We ignored her cries and pulled down the road that leads to the Okefenoke Swamp Park.
We walked into the gift shop where you buy boat tour tickets and I showed the lady behind the counter my National Geographic book.
“Oh my God! That’s my uncle Johnny!” she screamed. “Where did you get that book? I have never seen that book! You know he’s now 85 years old. He was just here a few days ago.”
It turns out that Johnny has lots relatives working at the swamp—because our boat guide, T.J. (above), said he was Johnny’s nephew.
In a small motor boat, T.J. led us through a skinny waterway passing under a thick tangle of red bay trees--it looked exactly like the picture from my book. Terrified, my daughter curled up next to me.
T.J. spoke in a Southern drawl and told us about the swamp's inhabitants: bears, turkeys, hawks, and bobcats. But mainly he talked about alligators.
"Wanna know bout gators?" he asked.
My daughter shivered.
He told us that alligators lay 50 to 60 eggs. Typically, 20 of them hatch and then only 1 to 2 survive. Why the low survival rate? Gators are a tasty treat. Fish, turtles, frogs, snakes, and birds eat them--and alligators eat other alligators.
T.J. pointed out several spots where he had seen a gator earlier in the day. We were the last boat tour and the sun was going down. T.J. explained that alligators come out for the sun in the afternoon, and in the evening they go under water, where they can stay for up to 30 hours. My daughter was relieved that we might not see an alligator after all--and I have to admit that I was feeling a little more at ease.
And then as we were coming around a bend--there was a gator resting on a swamp bank. It was huge--over six feet long.
T.J. pulled the boat up close. We were only about 10 inches away from his mouth. My daughter and I both screamed. The gator jumped into the water and swam into a bed of floating lily pads.
My husband got the gator on camera...
After the gator swam away, my daughter said, "Wow! That was amazing!" While it was certainly scary, we were both happy we had seen a wild alligator.
Want to plan a trip to the swamp? The Okefenoke Swamp Park, located in Waycross, Ga., is open every day, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas New Year's Day. $16 includes admission to the park, a 30-minute boat tour, a narrated train ride through the park, entrance to the nature center where you can see alligators, an otter, and snakes. The best time to see alligators is on warm, sunny days. For more info: okeswamp.com.
The Best Western Bradbury Inn & Suites is a three-year-old hotel that's seven miles from the entrance of the Okefenoke Swamp Park. The hotel has a heated swimming pool and offers complimentary breakfast. More info: bestwestern.com.
After a day at the Okefenoke, it's worth splurging for a meal at the Pond View. The restaurant in and old downtown building has lots of style with exposed brick walls and original hardwood floors. Order a steak or the mahimahi. More info: pondviewinn.com.
With its cobblestone streets, antebellum architecture, and wind-blown forts, Charleston is one of the best-preserved cities in America. It's also a place that makes learning history fun for kids.
Over the Thanksgiving break, we spent nearly a week with relatives in Charleston, S.C. This Southern town first established in 1670 is beautifully preserved and full of history. It was captured in the Civil War without much property damage, so the old part of town has buildings that are hundreds of years old. While you might think history and kids don't mix we found that our children--ages 5 and 6--were actually quite excited about spotting a bison, stepping inside a former dungeon, and watching craftswomen weave sweetgrass baskets.
Here are 9 things to do with kids in Charleston:
1) See a family of bison. The site of the first permanent European settlement in the Carolina province, Charles Towne Landing is now a beautiful, sprawling waterfront park celebrating the birth of South Carolina. Walk a path that winds through native oak trees, past bison that once roamed the land, and by re-creations of Indian and pioneer villages. Kids will especially enjoy hopping aboard a replica of a 17th-century merchant vessel. $5 adults, $3 ages 6 to 15. Info: charlestowne.org.
2) Explore an aircraft carrier. The USS Yorktown was the 10th aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy, and today it's a museum at Patriot's Point. Kids can walk across the aircraft deck that now serves as a parking lot for retired jet fighters from World War II and Vietnam. You can also squeeze inside the cramped interior of a submarine and sit in the cockpit of an F-94 Starfire. Don't forget to look for dolphins swimming by in the Savannah River where this carrier is anchored. $16 adults, $9 ages 6 to 11. Info: patriotspoint.org.
3) Visit a Civil War site. The first shots of the Civil War were fired on Fort Sumter, which sits atop a rocky island in Charleston Harbor. Take a ferry (operated by Spirit Line Cruises) to the island where a ranger gives a 10-minute history talk before you're free to explore the fort and an impressive display of big cannons and artillery artifacts. $16 adults, $10 ages 6 to 11. Info: click here.
4) Get spooked inside a dungeon. Built in 1771 the Old Exchange once stored British tea; now it's a museum. Kids are most interested in the spooky Provost Dungeon downstairs where animatronics--the Deputy Collector, Mister Mate, and Tom the Stockman--tell stories of the people who were once imprisoned here. $7 adults, $3.50 ages 6 to 12. Info: click here.
5) Feast on chocolate pie. The specialty at Kaminsky's dessert cafe, right in the heart of historic downtown, is Toll House pie, a sweet, gooey mess of chocolate chips and pecans baked in a flaky pie shell and topped with chocolate sauce and pecans served with vanilla bean ice cream. Other favorites: coconut cream cake, chocolate mousse torte, brownie sundaes, and for moms and dads only, hot toddies. Info: kaminskys.com.
6) Let a horse lead the way. It's easy to imagine the way things were in this town when you're sitting in a horse-drawn carriage. Look for carriages downtown; they're everywhere. Info: classiccarriage.com or carriagetour.com.
7) Climb on a cannon. Kids love to play on the collection of Civil War-era cannons at White Point Gardens on East Battery. The grassy patch shaded by moss-laden oaks was first used as a public garden in 1837 and later became a fortification for the city after the outbreak of the Civil War. Info: discoversouthcarolina.com.
8) Shop for sweetgrass baskets. In the 1800s, locals came to the rows of covered stalls making up the City Market to buy fish, meat, and produce. Today, merchants sell handmade jewelery, warm pralines, and knickknacks. This is also the best place to see artists demonstrate how Charleston's famous sweetgrass baskets are sewn together using palmetto fronds. They also sell sweetgrass roses that kids can buy as souvenirs for $2 or $3. Info: charlestoncity.info.
9) Tour an antebellum mansion. The Aiken-Rhett House remains unchanged since the mid-1800s. A 45-minute taped audio tour leads you through the mansion and its outbuildings such as the slaves' quarters, work yard, kitchen house, and privies. $10 adults, $5 for 6 to 16. Info: historiccharleston.org.
There were lots of things to love about the Best Western Promenade in Savannah, Ga., but what we appreciated most was the location.
The hotel sits right in the heart of the historic district. You can walk to River Street where seafood restaurants and souvenir shops line the cobblestone road on the banks of the Savannah River. You can walk to Forsythe Park, one of the many places in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. You can walk to the visitor center where you can pick up a trolley that will tour you around town.
And there was more to like about this hotel: heated outdoor pool, complimentary breakfast, friendly concierge who has eaten at every restaurant in town, and tastefully decorated rooms.
When we walked into the Olde Pink House restaurant in Savannah, Ga., I immediately felt out of place. The people waiting to be seated were elegant and distinguished. The women wore dresses and long wool coats with fur collars; the men wore sport coats and some even had on ties.
I looked at my jeans and tattered tennis shoes, my husband's fleece jacket, and my daughter's uncombed hair and gray sweat pants, and then bluntly said to the hostess, "We're dressed like slobs and we have kids. Can you seat us?"
"Don't worry about it," she said. "You're fine. Would you like to sit downstairs in the tavern? It might be a little more casual."
This splendid house sheathed in a layer of pink stucco was originally built in 1771 by James Habersham Jr., who was a hero during the Revolutionary War. It was the only mansion to survive a fire that swept through the city in 1796.
Over the years the house has served as everything from headquarters for one of Sherman's generals to a bank, and today it's a fancy restaurant known for Southern cuisine and an old world atmosphere. The dining rooms are dignified with crystal chandeliers, ancestor paintings, glowing fire places, and gilt opera chairs. The menu celebrates local seafood and signature dishes include black grouper stuffed with blue crab and crispy scored Flounder served with an apricot shallot sauce.
The hostess escorted us to the tavern--a dark, candlelit space with exposed brick walls, massive dark oak ceiling beams, cushy leather sofas, two roaring fireplaces, and a sprawling bar lined with beautiful men and women sipping martinis. I couldn't help but notice that there wasn't a kid in sight.
"What are we doing here?" I whispered into my husband's ear. "Just relax," he said.
The waiter came to our table and went over the specials. They don't have a kids' menu but thankfully macaroni and cheese was among the side dishes and there was a Cesar salad on the menu, my daughter's favorite.
The bread basket came--and my kids started to fight over the largest roll. Their voices gradually got louder: "No, I want that one!"
For a brief moment, I panicked, and thought, This is going to be a disaster. And then a man wearing a black tuxedo stepped into the tavern and sat down at the grand piano tucked in the corner. Something to drown out my children's loud voices.
The kids scarfed down their food and then walked over to the piano. They got the pianist to play a few Elton John songs. My husband and I savored three courses, and by the end of the night my son was snuggled up in the lap of a woman sipping a martini on the couch. If only we had dressed up.
Have you brought your kids to a fancy restaurant? Have you ever noticed kids behaving or misbehaving in a restaurant where entrees go for more than $20 or where a sports coat is proper attire for male diners?
The lunch at Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room got rave reviews in every online food forum covering Savannah, Ga. I spent a good hour online researching places to eat during our two-night stay in the Southern town, and that's the one place that people recommended again and again.
"Mrs. Wilkes should not be missed," I read on Chowhound.
And so on the day before Thanksgiving we found ourselves standing in a long line gathered outside 107 Jones Street. The brick house dating back to 1870 houses the restaurant in the basement, and apparently there's almost always a line--but don't be scared off. It moves fast. And while you're waiting outside, you can admire what is considered to be the most beautiful street in America--Jones Street. (It's what inspired the phrase, "Keeping up with the Joneses.")
Inside Mrs. Wilkes, diners eat family-style gathered around long tables in two cozy dining rooms. Table cloths cover the tables; ruffled curtains the windows. It's like eating at grandma's house.
Waitstaff bring out bowls brimming with sweet potato souffle, okra gumbo, black-eyed peas, cornbread stuffing, and fried chicken that's perfectly crisp on the outside and sweet and moist on the inside. Everything is flavorful and fresh. This isn't a greasy spoon.
At our table we sat next to Mrs. Wilkes' granddaughter, Emily, and great-granddaughter, Julianne, (pictured) who often drop in for lunch. We learned that Mrs. Sema Wilkes passed away in 2002 at age 95, and she worked in the restaurant up until two weeks before her death. "Grandma was amazing," Emily said. "She was always in the restaurant."
Emily's parents now run the place with the help of family members. Emily's mom later came out and grabbed one of my hands. "Where y'all come from?" she asked. "Your children are so pretty. It's so nice to see your children in the restaurant."
No doubt, Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room is family-friendly.
And my kids loved the meal. They noshed on the fried chicken, piled their plates up with mashed potatoes and lima beans, and gulped down glasses of sweet tea. But most of all, they loved the bicuits and corn muffins. I even caught my daughter sneaking one in her jacket pocket. Now that's the sign of a good restaurant.
The meal costs $16 per person and children are half-off. The restaurant is only open for lunch, Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. www.mrswilkes.com.
I'm a girl on the go. I travel for fun. For work. With my kids. With my husband. With my girlfriends. For me, traveling is not about luxury. It's about getting out there and experiencing new things. Best Western signed me up because, like me, they want to get people talking about travel. So let's talk! Tell me your travel tales, teach me your tips, and, when the airline loses your luggage, feel free to throw a temper tantrum. Believe me, I understand.
Got a travel question? Looking for an affordable hotel in New York City? Planning a family trip to the Caribbean and want to know which island is best for kids?
Send your questions to onthegowithamy@gmail.com for advice. Questions may be edited for clarity and space.
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