Trail Center and Bald Cypress Trail at First Landing State Park

Fall is one of my favorite times to get outdoors, so it's been a bummer that so many of the HRVA area national parks and sites are closed due to the government shutdown. Luckily, First Landing is a state park and is still open! And it's at its absolute prettiest right now.

Our playgroup met up there last week for the express purpose of visiting the new Discovery Room at the Trail Center. Unfortunately, the room was off-limits while staff cleaned and fed the animals, but luckily again, the trail center features some other great stuff to hold the little ones' attention, including a cool little exhibit on local flora and fauna, complete with a "please touch" area where we could stroke fur pelts and listen to seashells.



After we'd done a few turns around the exhibit, we went back outside to set off down the Bald Cypress trail, a mile-and-a-half-long boardwalk trail through a marshy wooded area. We didn't make it through the whole loop -- the kids stopped several times, to peer at a frog, climb a hill, and eat some trail mix. And pose for lots of pictures.

First Landing is beautiful in every season, but it really shines in late summer/fall, so much so that I'm adding it to our Fall Fun List as a must-see autumnal destination. What are your favorite spots/trails in the park? Have you made it to the Discovery Room? I'm determined to check it out, so I know we'll be back soon.

Outer Banks, Part 3: Ocracoke Village

While Anne and I were staying with family on Hatteras Island, we took a day trip to Ocracoke, probably the cutest and most interesting place in the whole Outer Banks. I've always been fascinated with Ocracoke, how remote it is, its laid-back, Key-West-type vibe, it's wild history as a WWII hotspot and a colonial-era pirate hangout.

Our journey began in Hatteras with a ferry ride that took us across the Pamlico Sound, followed by a short drive down the island to Ocracoke Village, which is situated at the very southern tip. All of Ocracoke Island, except for the village, is owned by the National Park Service, which means that it's as remote and pristine as you could hope for it to be. Nothing but dunes and grasses, and glimpses of the sea in between.

Our first stop, once in the village, was at Dajio, for a delicious seafood lunch. Then we explored: we went all the way around Silver Lake harbor and meandered some of the village's shady, unpaved lanes, poking our heads into the shops we passed. Our favorites were the Village Craftsman and the Ocracoke Community Store, a handmade art co-op featuring local artisans. A blackboard outside the latter proclaimed that a local resident was turning 90 that day -- the man himself was sitting on the porch to accept birthday wishes from passers-by, who rode by on bikes or in rented golf carts. (The streets on the island are narrow and mostly unpaved, and so those are the preferred ways of getting around; it's not really a car-friendly place).

We also paid a visit to the famous wild Banker pony pasture outside of town, but as it was 90+ degrees, the ponies themselves had decided to hunker down in their shelters for shade, like any smart mammal would. We didn't get to see as many as we wanted and we definitely didn't get any good photos of them. But as my 13-year-old cousin, child of the internet age, reminded me, I could just Photoshop them in to the pics we did get. (Sadly, my skills aren't quite up to that yet.) So...

This is the part you should definitely read if you are thinking about visiting Ocracoke: With the tourist season in full swing, and the waters in the Pamlico shoaling up as a result of recent storms, the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry ride can take a little more time than anticipated. Wait times to get on one of the three free ferries can be upwards of two hours, and the ride, which is supposed to take 40 minutes, is actually more like an hour. My advice is to get there early, when the ferry opens at 5 AM, or else wait until the afternoon to cross and stay overnight on the island. I wish somebody had told us before we tried it -- we could have saved a lot of time (and sanity -- there's only so many times you can sing your toddler the "What do you do with a drunken sailor?" song before you feel like you might lose it).

But I would have done it all over again for the sight of the beautiful Ocracoke beaches. Stay tuned for the fourth (and final, and my favorite) installment of our OBX trip for more on that.

Outer Banks, Part 1: Bodie Island

I read a study once that said that staring out at the line where sea meets sky produces an endorphin effect in the brain that stimulates feelings of relaxation and peace. I figure that after working our way up and down the Outer Banks last week, J., A. and I must be the most peaceful and relaxed people on the planet. Because there was a lot of sitting, staring, and relaxing.

Our OBX trip -- Anouk's first -- began with a weekend in Kitty Hawk with our friends M. and A. Of course the beach was the star -- specifically, the public beach across from the Kitty Hawk Bath House, which I highly recommend for beachgoers with kids. Not only is it beautiful and great for swimming, it features both lifeguard stands and outdoor showers. Fighting sand in your car is always a losing battle, but it still feels good to make the effort.

As soon as we set her down on the sand, Anouk ran headlong for the ocean, not knowing yet how much more powerful the OBX waves are than the ones at our local beaches. After the first one knocked her flat, she made sure to keep her distance for the rest of our stay. But she still found plenty to do on the beach -- building sand castles, watching the surfers, and leaving a trail of "pinthetheth" everywhere she went.

We also made time to explore the newly reopened Bodie Island Light Station in Nags Head. The lighthouse completed its years-long renovations in April, with the tower open to the public for the first time since 1872. Anouk was pretty impressed even with the view from the ground -- she kept pointing at the lighthouse and saying, "Wow! That's BIG!"





^^ And to take a (tiny) family portrait. We don't remember to get enough of these.

Another highlight of our trip was stopping by the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center in the afternoon to check out the day's catch. Around 3:00 or so, the fishing boats start rolling in and unloading their hauls. Some had pretty impressive catches (including one group who'd hooked a cobia that was about as big as Anouk). We also had a lot of fun looking at the names painted on the backs of the boats and decided what we would call our boats if we had them (mine isn't kid-friendly so I won't write it here. But think of Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction and you'll get it).

And of course, there was the food. We did some serious eating while we were in town. There's nothing like sea air to work up an appetite and the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills area offers some of the best restaurants in the Banks. Breakfast from Max's Real Bagels, fresh fish for dinner from the Austin Seafood Company, sweet potato biscuits from Dune's, lunch by the sea at Beachside Bistro... I'm sure I gained three pounds in the three days we were there. But you know it was worth every ounce.

Even with all this running around, there's still a ton on Bodie Island that we didn't get to. Jockey's Ridge, the Wright Brothers Memorial, the Children at Play Museum... I guess we'll just have to plan to go back really soon.

Stay tuned for our adventures in Hatteras and points south. Happy Monday!

Planetarium Show at the Children's Museum of Virginia

Last Thursday, we went back to the Children's Museum in Portsmouth -- this time with some friends in tow! We had a fabulous time seeing some of the things we missed on our first visit (which was a lot -- don't be a hero and try to do everything in one day, this is my advice to you) But I think our favorite part of the visit and the most memorable by far was catching a show in the museum's planetarium theatre.

The show consisted of a short movie called Zula Patrol: Down to Earth, a cartoon that followed space explorers through time from the creation of the earth to the present day. The themes focused on recycling and caring for the planet, which honestly went right over Anouk's head but she enjoyed herself all the same, mostly because the experience of seeing a movie projected onto the high, domed planetarium ceiling was so new and novel in itself. It was a little incredible, watching a movie in surround view, even I have to admit. As our friend Miss Brenda said, it would have been nice if the seats reclined for a better look at what was going on overhead, but even with this small flaw, I have a feeling A's first movie theatre experience is going to be a hard one to top.

The movie was only about 25 minutes long -- the perfect time frame to hold a toddler's attention. And after all of the other exhibits, which are so interactive, it was nice to have a quiet break to reset and revive ourselves for the next one.

Tickets to the planetarium show are free with museum admission (you just have to request them at the admission desk). Zula Patrol runs twice a day, at 11 AM and 3 PM, Thursday through Saturday. In between times (at 2 PM), there's a show for slightly older kids, called Dynamic Earth, which uses real-life satellite data and images to explore the planet's changing weather. The next time we visit the museum, I might put J. on baby duty and catch that one myself. Because I'm a dork like that.

Photos weren't allowed in the planetarium, so the ones for this post were taken elsewhere in the museum. See this pic of the kids all together on the big purple chair? About a second after it was snapped Anouk tumbled right to the floor, got up without shedding a tear, and took off running toward the bubble room. "Bubbuhhhhhs!" Of course.

I'm thinking we'll have to pay a visit to the Chesapeake Planetarium soon. Have you been? What did you think?

Happy weekend, everybody!

SweetART at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art

Last Saturday evening, we went to the SweetART family night at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach and had a great time. In addition to amazing interactive art exhibits, there was food, crafts, live music, kiddie spa treatments (courtesy of the Klumsy Moose), and even an open bar for the parents (score!)

Anne and James and I attended the event with our friend Sarah and her Baby A. I think it's safe to say that we all had a blast. We decorated heart-shaped cookies, made Valentine's cards for friends, and then explored the art gallery a little. Some of the things we enjoyed seeing included some really cool avant garde jewelry, a custom Vans exhibit, and even a few of our old favorites from the Chrysler!

But best of all was probably the ArtLab, "a space of activity and exploration" for children of all ages. Anouk and A. spent a lot of time sticking felt shapes onto different surfaces, playing with chalk, and jumping onto the giant beanbags that littered the gallery.

After a while in the ArtLab, we were called back to the main courtyard by the strains of the C-Shells, who did a live performance that had most of the room up and dancing. At the end of the set the lights came up and we left with our goody bags. But I know we'll be back again soon.

The next Family Fest at MOCA will be held on Feb. 24. And Feb. 21 is Pre-K Art Day! Will you be there?

A visit to the Virginia Aquarium (and why to buy a membership)

Happy 2013! We celebrated the new year at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center with our good friends, Erin and Baby J. and Sarah and Baby A. (By the way, aren't there a lot of Baby A.s in our circle? Is A. a popular initial for your crowd, too?) We'd heard such good things about the aquarium and had been meaning to go for months. So spending New Years Day there felt right, like we were making good on a resolution at the very start of the year.

The first thing I did upon arriving was buy a year's membership, and here's why:

• Admission for just one visit is pretty steep: $21 per adult and $15 per child (aged 3 and up). We bought the cheapest membership (the Otter level, for $80), which will pay for itself in just two visits. 
• Speaking of numbers of visits, you'll definitely need more than one to experience everything the aquarium has to offer. We were there for two hours, and only managed to hit about 2/3 of the Bay and Ocean Pavilion. There's still a whole other pavilion, a library, and a theatre waiting to be explored (not to mention special events, like storytimes, nature treks, and boat rides).  
• Membership has some great perks, like express entry (valuable in the summertime, when the aquarium gets crowded) and substantial discounts for the cafe and IMAX movie theatre. 
• The aquarium is awesome. It's just plain awesome. And we loved it. 

Baby J. ain't afraid of no horseshoe crabs.

Some things we were especially excited about: the large walk-through tank, filled with colorful fish and coral; the up-bubble that allowed us to see into the Komodo dragon habitat and come face to face with the giant lizard; the stingray petting tank (I almost had a heart attack when a friendly ray leaped up to say hello); listening to the very knowledgeable docent tell us all about the crocodiles; watching the seals zoom happily through the water. And the sea turtles (Anouk said "turtle" for the first time!) -- and the turtle nursery -- and pressing buttons in the submersible play area -- and, well, you get the picture. It was all pretty great and we're already looking forward to going back.

We had lunch at the cafe, and I want to give a special shout out to the staff there -- who not only didn't mind when Baby Anne accidentally upended her plate onto the floor but told us not to worry about it, either. That kind of attitude is invaluable when you're out with a toddler and it was much appreciated.

Um, take a look at the scratches on those windows. Holy cow Komodo dragon!

What about you? How did you celebrate the new year? Are there any local landmarks you're looking forward to visiting in 2013?