Last December I took the kids on a trip to Vienna, Austria. We got the whole Christmas in Europe experience, which I’ll have to tell you about another time.

The part of the trip the kids talk about most, was our visit to Schönbrunn Palace and the oldest zoo in the world.

The zoo was once a private palace zoo for the likes of Emperor Franz I. Stephan von Lothringen, Maria Theresia’s husband. It has been operating since 1752.

The Schönbrunn Palace gardens are now open to the public, and those gorgeous gardens include the zoo, although you have to pay to tour the zoo.

The gardens themselves had an eery beauty to them in the middle of December. I can only imagine how glorious they are in the springtime when the trees are in bloom and flowers fill the grass ways.

The frigid air did not hold us back from exploring together through the gardens themselves, gazing in awe at the enormity of the palace and imagining the fountains full of life instead of the icy darkness before us.

Being from Texas, the kids were amazed at the frozen over fountain pond. They skipped rocks across it to listen to the sounds and would have likely stayed in that place all day if we hadn’t been so quick to usher them off to see the palace zoo.

There were many animals the kids had never seen at the zoo in Houston, but a major highlight was when we spotted something the children hadn’t even realized existed in real life. A herd of reindeer, fuzzy antlers and all!

We came almost nose-to-nose with a polar bear at one exhibit, and enjoyed watching the penguins swim around a few rooms over! The kids were nervous and amazed to be so close to the animals!

Since it was so cold outside we enjoyed moments of relief from the low temperatures in places like the monkey rooms. There were a variety of species in each hall, and gorgeous wooden sculptures that left a serious impression on the adults. The kids just walked straight past these to go look at the monkeys playing.

We took a short stop for lunch in the middle of our day at the zoo. We ate in what was once the palace guest house but has now been turned into a restaurant. The food was amazing and it was interesting to imagine what foreign dignitaries or other important guests had stayed here while visiting the emperor.

Being 5 and 3 the kids were not reveling in the history of these locations as much as I was. The beauty of it, to them, was a day spent together with some of their favorite people, seeing new and exciting sites. I’m sure one day they will have a better grasp on the extraordinary things they got to experience, but for now, their fun memories of a day together in a new place are what matters most.

The first couple of days we were in Austria some of our group was feeling under the weather. Those of us who were not sick stayed close to our flat, exploring local parks and doing a small amount of shopping. Thankfully, the sickness passed by quickly and we were all able to explore together.

Sicknesses and headaches are two of the worst things that can happen on a trip, especially one with kids. It’s so important to be sure you are prepared for whatever your body might throw at you when traveling, by bringing a travel medicine kit with you. You don’t want to be stuck with a headache in another country trying to figure out what medicines you should be taking while also communicating in a foreign language.

For our kit, we make sure we have:

• tissues
• bandages
• gauze
• sanitizer
• Excedrin® Extra Strength
• Excedrin® Tension Headache

I love that Excedrin® Tension Headache offers aspirin-free headache relief! I have such amazing memories of our time at the Schönbrunn Palace zoo, but it could have easily been ruined if I would have had a tension headache come on. Excedrin® Extra Strength offers quick relief for different types of headaches so that we can get back to exploring the world with the kids faster.

No one really thinks about getting a tension headache while on vacation, but it happens! If you’ve ever flown overseas with two preschoolers, you know how stressful certain parts of traveling can be!

To get your travel medicine kit ready, collect individual packets of what you’ll need and put them all in a clear, zip bag. make sure you keep medicine in it’s original bottle so that there is no question about what you are bringing with you on a plane if you get stopped at customs, and so you can be certain that you are using as directed. You’ll definitely want to find your headache solution before you leave for your trip.

You can pick up everything you need for your medicine travel kit, at your local Walmart! I found what I needed easily.

I love that for some, Excedrin® Extra Strength relief can start as quick as in 15 minutes! That’s the kind of fast acting care you need when you’re on a vacation (and every day!).

If you have a trip coming up, I encourage you to get everything you need for a travel medicine kit before you go. Even if you’re staying home, make sure to keep some Excedrin® on hand so you don’t miss making a single memory with your kids due to headaches!

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10 Fun Activities To Do In Cumbria

1. You must spend some time visiting Carlisle Castle, it is a beautiful place to visit not only to see, but to learn about its history too. It is so easy to get to, located within the city limits and really close to the city centre.

2. While you are in Carlisle, although it is a small city, you won’t be disappointed with the beautiful Cathedral. It’s a great place to let your children have some space outside to run around before heading inside and looking at the marvels of this Cathedral and all it has to offer.

3. In Carlisle, before you leave you must visit Tullie House, the city’s museum, including an art gallery. There are fun things for children to do and it is always a great alternative if the weather is a bit on the wet side.

4. It is possible to walk along some of the route of Hadrian’s Wall; this wall spans across the UK and separates the UK from Scotland. It’s steeped in history and being in some beautiful countryside, it makes for short walks or even to walk the complete length of the wall, but this will take more than a day or two!

5. My fifth activity is slightly different; I picked the whole town of Silloth. It is a traditional English seaside town. It has free parking, large open greens for children to run and play, free tennis courts and of course the beach and the sea. There is so much to do here you just won’t get bored and they have one of the best fish & chip shops in the area too!

6. The Lake District Wildlife Park, I have spent many a happy hour here with my children over the years, including school trips. There is an indoor play centre, which is a great way to tire out even the most adventurous child and giving the parent time for a quick caffeine top-up!

7. You can’t visit Cumbria without visiting a lake or two! Lake Windermere is the obvious choice, but there are more lakes than this to explore. Some lakes have boating options, hiring a boat or going out on a cruise of the lake, with some breath-taking views!

8. For the adventurous families Whinlatter Forest is a must, not only are there walks through the forest there are mountain bike trails, not for the faint-hearted and even a tree top adventure experience called ‘Go Ape’ is something not to miss!

9. Walking is part of Cumbria, there are so many places where you can walk that are totally amazing. The highest one in Cumbria is Scafell Pike, you should visit this one whilst in Cumbria; if you don’t want to tackle the big one there are lots of other places that you can walk and look at the amazing scenery.

10. South Lakes Safari Zoo is another family favourite zoo and one, when the children were little; we had an annual outing to this zoo. It isn’t too big, you can easily get around the zoo including on a little railway! My children always loved this at the end of the day when they were getting tired!
Cumbria is a place that you must visit with your family, you won’t be disappointed with the amount of different things that you can do and taking in the beauty of the county at the same time. It is a rural area and this does mean you need to consider transportation carefully; it isn’t always easy to get to the different areas relying on public transport. However, don’t let that put you off visiting Cumbria, in the UK, with your family!

Sharon is a mother to three adult children and is married to her supportive husband. She writes about organizing, finance, cleaning, depression and a few other areas on her blog How To Get Organized At Home. You can visit her blog, or you can connect with Sharon through her social media Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and G+.

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Charting out a path

A road trip with kids in Andalusia will need careful planning. Get into Spain on a flight to Barcelona or Madrid and then board one of the high-speed trains or a local flight to Seville. Then, pick up your rental car from the airport or train station. This way, you will avoid driving through busy city roads.

Suggestion for a seven-day road trip through Southern Spain

Start your road trip in Andalusia with one day or two in Seville. It gets very hot in the summer so plan for morning activities, then get the kids out of the sun.

Interesting things to do here are exploring the Real Alcazar or Royal Palace that still serves as a Royal Residence and climbing the bell tower at the Seville Cathedral which is the tallest Gothic cathedral. You can also take a carriage ride, a boat cruise at Guadalquivir River and see a Flamenco show.

You can then drive your rental car to Marbella on the coast where you can explore some of Andalusia’s famous towns or Pueblos Blancos in Spanish, which are so called because of the whitewashed buildings.

At Ronda, see the 100-meter deep El Tajo gorge that is in between the new bridge in the heart of the town center. This is also the place to see where modern bullfighting started and country’s oldest bullfight ring that has a small museum nearby.

From Ronda, head to Marbella, a busy seaside resort town. This old city has cobblestone streets and piazzas full of flowers. The food here is amazing and so are the places to shop. The kids will take great delight in entertainment places such as Sea Life Benalmadena, Aqualand Torremolinos, Tivoli World and Selwo Adventura.

There will also love spending time on the beach and dipping into the ocean in between building sand castles.

After a day or two in Marbella, you can take a day trip to Gibraltar. Just be sure to carry your passports because this is a British territory. Leave early because border crossings can be a tedious process. You can drive your rental car across the border or park it at the bus station and cross over on foot. The big attractions to see here are the Upper Rock Nature Preserve, the labyrinth of tunnels known as the Great Siege Tunnels and Apes Den where apes and monkeys live.

From here, take a two-hour drive to Granada.

A must-see here is Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Alhambra is one of the great ancient palaces of the world. Note that this can tire out the kids so do it in the morning, then retire back to your hotel and call it a day.

The next day, which should be your last, you can spend the morning shopping then get packed for your flight to Madrid.

Places to stay on a road trip with kids in Andalusia

It goes without saying that you want to stay in a place that will accommodate the needs of young ones.

In this regard, Hotel Silken is ideal. It is located in the heart of Malaga, near the local train station. Breakfast buffets are served daily and an on-site gastro bar serves local Andalusian dishes. There are also places of interest nearby including Picasso Museum and the Cathedral. The beach, shops and a supermarket are also nearby.

Hotel Silken has another branch too, conveniently located in the gardens of Heliopolis district which is close to Maria Luisa Park and Plaza de Espana, the main square: Hotel Silken Al Andalus Palace is a comfortable and quiet accommodation, ideal for families travelling with kids. It is only ten minutes away from the historical center of Seville, close both to the airport and Santa Justa Station.

Hotel Hacienda Posada de Vallina, in the heart of Barrio de la Juderia, is well appointed and ideally situated. It is just 2 km from Cordoba’s train station and 170 km from Malaga Airport. It is close to places like Palacio de la Merced, the Cathedral de Cordoba, Puente Romano and other attraction sites.

Reluctant goodbye

Like many before you, you will say a reluctant goodbye to Andalusia. A part of your heart will remain behind and you will be thinking of going back even as you leave.

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Fitzgeralds Park
On a dry, sunny day everyone loves a trip to the park. Cork City’s Fitzgerald’s park has created an urban green space that combines nature and heritage alongside playspaces for children. The park is well maintained with manicured gardens and trees. A stroll through the park will take you through the Sky Garden and past the amphitheatre. On summer weekends you’re likely to find a daytime concert or evening film, but when not in use the green area in front of the amphitheatre makes a great space to kick a ball, or have a game of hurling (Ireland’s national field sport). The park also houses the Cork Public Museum. The Cork Public Museum is free to enter and well worth visiting to learn about Cork’s local history and heritage (closed Sundays). Grab a coffee or an ice cream from the café and stroll along the picturesque banks of the River Lee to find the children’s playground at the other end of the park. Completely renovated in 2015 the playground boasts some truly unique features and is an all inclusive play site suitable for children with disabilities. No trip to the park seems complete until you’ve strolled over Daly’s Bridge connecting the park to the Sunday’s Well area. Affectionately called ‘The Shakey Bridge’ for the sensation of shaking as you walk/run across.

Fairy Walks

Every little girl knows Tinkerbell lives in Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World…what they may not know is she grew up in County Cork! Cork is home to many, many fairies and visitors to Cork will find their homes easily by going on on of County Cork’s many ‘Fairy Walks.’ Come explore the fairy forests around Cork. Some whimsical fairies chose to decorate their houses with colourful cheery doors, while woodland fairies keep with more traditional houses of fairy rings (a perfectly formed ring of trees found in a forest). Be sure to visit one of our favourite Fairy Walks listed below, leave a teeny, tiny gift if you wish and if you’re lucky you might hear the faint laughter of fairies hiding near by!

Killbarry Woods, Fermoy
Rineen Woods, Union Hall
Ballincollig Regional Park
Blarney Castle Grounds (Fairy ring) admission to enter
Tir Na Sí, Watergrasshill- admission to enter
Glenview Gardens & Hobbit House, Enniskeane- admission to enter

While in Ireland, don’t forget to buy your very own fairy door so fairies can come and visit your own home!!

Garinish Island

Garinish Island is located in Bantry Bay and is accessed by ferry from the town of Glengarriff – 1.5 hour drive from Cork City. The 15 hectare island is home to many different species of plants and gardens and makes a wonderful day trip for the whole family. The fun starts on the ferry, where you might spot some of the 400 resident seals swimming or basking on the rocks.

There is a self guided trail with 13 numbered stops around the gardens which keeps the kids entertained. It’s all about the vistas on Garinish Island. The Italian Garden and the Temple boast stunning panoramic views.

The kids love the stepping stones which lead to long flight of steps up to the Martello Tower, constructed by the British War Office in 1805. The tower is the highest point of the Island. Here the views of Bantry Bay & Whiddy Island are incredible.

If you have a stroller, there is a lot of uneven ground and some cobbled paving, which can make a visit to Garinish Island awkward, but not impossible. The island is open to visitors each day from 1st March to 31st October.

Fota Wildlife Park

No trip to Cork is complete without a trip to Fota Wildlife Park. Much more than a zoo, Fota Wildlife Park offers a unique up close experience, much more thank viewing animals. Let kangaroos, peacocks and lemus be your guide as the roam freely around the park. Time your visit to see the famous cheetah run where you can see cheetahs running to catch their food (12:45 & 4:00 daily).

The park has recently expanded to include the new Asian Sanctuary and Tiger Forest. Bring a picnic lunch or eat at one of Fota’s two cafés. Little ones will love the chance to be roaming amongst animal, feeding the birds and hanging around like monkeys at the playgrounds within Fota. For weary feet a train is available to the front of the park from the Oasis Café. Fota has a number of wildlife experiences available from a standard admission ticket to a VIP Family experience and even a Warden Experience.

Blarney Castle & Gardens

No trip to County Cork is truly complete without a visit to Ireland’s most popular attraction: Blarney Castle & Gardens in Blarney, Co Cork.

While most visitors come to kiss the world famous Blarney Stone and get the ‘gift of gab’ Blarney Castle’s magic extends to the gardens that surround it. Perhaps Ireland’s most recognized tourist destination Blarney Castle & Gardens can be very busy in the summer months. Tour buses stop regularly but don’t stay for long. The best way to visit Blarney Castle is to pack a picnic and spend the day exploring!

Younger children and those less agile may find it difficult to climb the stairs to the top to kiss the stone, however, the vantage point from the top of the castle provides truly magnificent views of the village and countryside. Once back on solid ground visitors could spend the day exploring the several gardens and rock close. Don’t forget to bring your torch (flashlight) so you can explore the cave and dungeon under the castle. Tread carefully past the Witch Stone, legend has it the Witch of Blarney is imprisoned there and escapes only after nightfall. Perhaps she spends dark nights in the Witches Kitchen nearby. Don’t forget to walk the Wishing Steps and make your wish.

There’s plenty more to do for families in Cork on our website. If you’re planning a visit to Cork with your family make sure you come prepared for all weather. But don’t let the weather spoil your trip, Cork has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, the people are friendly and children are welcome almost everywhere. We hope to see you soon. Céad Míle Fáilte (A hundred thousand welcomes)

Bio: Denise is originally from the USA but has lived in Cork for over 10 years. Married to an Irishman, this mother of two loves her adopted homeland and believes Cork has much to offer families. Denise shares her love of Cork on her blog – CorkFamilies.ie

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