5 things to do with teens in Chicago

By Jess, aged 17:

Over summer, our family spent the most amazing week in Chicago. Though very full on, we all had a fantastic time, and there is not one activity which I didn't enjoy. Chicago is a genuinely beautiful city; busy but not too loud or congested. There were things to do for all the family, and here are my highlights from the trip, which I think teenagers would particularly enjoy.

Baseball

I had really wanted to go to a baseball match as I felt it was a typical American thing to do. Instead of watching the more famous Chicago Cubs, we opted for the White Sox, and I had a really fantastic time. Unlike football games in the UK, the atmosphere was much more relaxed, with people walking around the whole time. I definitely enjoyed this, as I can get very stressed when watching live sports!

[caption id="attachment_4559" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] We really enjoyed watching the Chicago White Sox![/caption]

Despite never playing baseball before, the people sitting around us were more than willing to explain what was going on, and I found myself getting very engaged with the game. The experience felt very American, with an audience cam, lots of adverts for pizza, a fill in the song lyric game, and everyone standing up and singing "Take me out to the ball game" between the seventh and eight innings.

There were other activities in the stadium as well, such a speed pitching test and a free interactive centre for kids. Mum and I collected free badges and certificates to commemorate our first visit to the stadium, and the people sitting behind us were generous enough to give us White Sox temporary tattoos and t-shirts.

I would definitely recommend baseball games to people visiting the US - not only was the game exciting, but I loved getting a taste of what it's like to be a real American. Mum says that it was expensive though - and we were all shocked by the cost of the food and drink inside the stadium (a bottle of Pepsi was over $6!)

Our tickets to the baseball cost around $50 (they were more expensive because we chose to be under cover - a good decision, as it was very hot!).

Second City

Second City is a famous sketch and improvisational comedy troupe, known for producing stars such as Tina Fey and Steve Carell. I am a huge fan of SNL, and it was especially exciting spotting lots of famous names in the programme we were given. Our family saw a production named "Grinning from Fear to Fear", which included two sets of sketches and an improvisational section.

I thought the production was hilarious, and unlike anything I'd seen before. Ranging from meeting your girlfriend's parents to sleepless late night anxieties, the production was very well done, and I laughed more times than I can count. They also used a lot of suggestions from the audience and even brought people up onto stage.

This was definitely one of the highlights of my holiday.

Second City is not for younger children - the show we went to started at 8pm and didn't finish until nearly 11 and there was quite a lot of swearing in it. Tickets cost $52 each.

Cycling food tour

Cycling isn't something we do very often, so I was somewhat terrified at the prospect of cycling around busy Chicago streets. However, I shouldn't have worried: our Bikes, Bites and Brews tour with Bobby's Bike Hike was great. Our guide Ro was extremely friendly and enthusiastic, and she toured us for 13 miles across Chicago.

[caption id="attachment_4560" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] We loved all the food on our cycling tour with Bobby's Bike Hike, and the views were great too![/caption]

We sampled pizza, cupcakes, hot dogs, and drinks from all across Chicago, learning a lot about the city in the process. A particular highlight was eating delicious deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati's, and spending half an hour cycling down a cycle path right next to Lake Michigan. The views were brilliant, and it was very relaxing. The tour was both interesting and exciting, and we definitely wouldn't have had the confidence to ride around Chicago without a guide. The city was easy to ride around and the views were gorgeous.

I would definitely recommend cycling around Chicago, and there are lots of places to rent bikes from. Though we wouldn't have been able to navigate the streets by ourselves, the cycle path by the lake boasted brilliant views and was easy to make our way around.

This Bobby's Bikes, Bites and Brews cycling tour costs $66.75 for adults and $61.75 for students (Mondays to Thursdays) and lasts four hours. 

Disclosure: We were gifted the opportunity of taking part in Bobby's Bike Hire, the Bikes, Bites and Brews tour, in order to write about it. However, the company had no input whatsoever into this blog post.

Escape room

Our whole family loved going to an escape room at The Escape Game Chicago. Though only an hour long, our experience probably provided us with the most fun of anything we did over the holiday. Our challenge was called "The Heist", and our challenge was to retrieve a painting from the office of a man accused of stealing it.

[caption id="attachment_4557" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] We were pleased to find the painting with only two minutes to go![/caption]

I've been to three other escape rooms before, but this one was definitely the best. It was so well maintained, and some of the parts were genius. It was very difficult, but definitely not unmanageable or frustrating, and we were pleased to escape with two minutes remaining!

Escape rooms can be found all over the world and there are a copious amount in the UK alone, but I would recommend doing this one if you're in Chicago. We all had a fantastic time.

Read Rob's post on the Escape Game (he really loved it too!)
The Heist at the Escape Game costs $35.99 per person.

Beach

Chicago is particularly special as it is on Lake Michigan, so there are a copious number of beaches to relax on. We were all struck by the sheer size of the water - it seemed unfathomable that it was only a lake and not the sea! We went to the North Avenue beach, which was great as it was quiet, and there was a lot of space to sit down and unwind.

[caption id="attachment_4561" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Looking out to Lake Michigan on North Avenue Beach[/caption]

The water was ridiculously cold, but we appreciated that it wasn't salty like the sea. It also didn't get deep quickly, providing ample space for wading in the water and swimming. Chicago's beaches are especially notable as its gorgeous skyline is behind the lake, leading to gorgeous views wherever you look.

Overall, Chicago is a perfect place for teenagers, and I honestly enjoyed every aspect of the trip. Aside from these five highlights, there were so many other fantastic attractions, making the city perfect for all the family. I enjoyed incredible views of the city at the top of the Sears Tower, saw chicks being born at the Museum of Science and Industry, and looked at the largest T-Rex ever found at the Field Museum. Even activities which sounded boring, such as an architecture boat tour, were fascinating!

It may not a common holiday destination for those of us in the UK, but our trip to Chicago was great - both for the adults and the teens.

Read Rob's post on his two favourite activities: 

We also found useful information on the Choose Chicago website and the Enjoy Illinois website.

Soft serve filled cakes at Eva's Original Chimneys, Toronto

Jess, aged 15, writes: During our short stay in Toronto, our family had an amazing time visiting Eva's Original Chimneys. This shop makes chimney cakes, rolls them in various toppings, and then fills them with different treats. The result was a massive and incredibly delicious snack which I would love to have again!

I had found Eva's Original Chimneys from a video online, and subsequently begged my parents to let us go. Luckily they agreed, and while the shop is not in the centre of the city, it was very easy to get there. Though we had no idea how to navigate the subway system, we easily found the neccessary stop and walked to the shop.

[caption id="attachment_4188" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] There was such a wide variety of choices![/caption]

Once entering the shop, we were greeted by chimney cakes of all shapes and sizes. Chimney cakes are Hungarian cake treats, which are generally rolled into a cylindrical shape. The chimney cakes had been rolled in different toppings, such as cinnamon sugar, coconut, and graham crackers. There was an option to buy the chimney cakes by themselves, but we opted for the more calorific versions...

I chose the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, which consisted of: a cone shaped chimney cake rolled in graham crackers, a chocolate to stop the toppings falling out, vanilla soft serve, berry coulis, cheesecake pieces, more soft serve, and strawberry sauce. Dad opted for a coconut themed option, mum tried a chocolate themed chimney cake, and Robert "made his own", choosing cheesecake, nutella, and pretzels.

[caption id="attachment_4189" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] With our treats![/caption]

When our chimney cakes arrived, we were astounded by their size. My one was taller than my head! The treat was scrumptious - especially the cheesecake and the cone. It was a really unique place to eat, tasted really good, and was generally really exciting. Our portion was so big that we had no reason to eat lunch, and were sated until supper.

Overall, we all had a really great time at Eva's Original Chimneys. It was a very special place with fantastic food, and I recommend it to anyone visiting Toronto.

You can find Eva's Original at 454 Bloor Street West, Toronto. The cones cost around 6-10 CAD each (that's around £3 to £6). Do note that it is a cashless shop, so bring a credit card!

Read about our trip to Toronto in more detail - and find out our tips for what to do!

A Tour of Hamleys, London

Robert, aged 11, writes:  Mum and I went on a special guided tour of Hamleys. We were shown around by Leah, who was really nice, funny and informative. Hamleys is 155 years old and is considered to be one of the best, or the best, toy shop in Britain.

[kad_youtube url="https://youtu.be/sjMGTH1ppPY?list=PL21MnxVphOzI2A8wn1ejWBYSXpgwMIkGw" width=200 height=100 ]

There are seven floors, the first of which being entirely devoted to Star Wars which I’m sure many kids would love. There was loads of cool memorabilia and Star Wars themed objects but my favourite thing on this floor had to be the one thing that wasn’t Star-Wars related. I absolutely loved trying out the virtual reality rollercoaster. I love rides and although I wasn’t on a real one I honestly felt like I was falling or going down a loop the loop. At one point I had to take the cardboard headset out because I felt like I was going to fall over.

[caption id="attachment_3766" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Star Wars VR headset was very realistic![/caption]

The ground floor was very hands on with lots to do. First we saw a magic show that I’m sure would blow plenty of people’s minds (although it wasn’t that cool for me as I learnt the tricks when I was younger) There was also a powder that expanded and turned into fake snow when added to water. I really liked the sensation when the powder changed in my hands. On this floor there were also boomerang aeroplanes, which I had a go at throwing, as well as remote control cars, giant inflatable Frisbees and a board which you could draw on with anything.

[caption id="attachment_3767" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] There was lots to try out, such as huge boomerangs![/caption]

There was a floor for babies and a floor which was all about dolls and princesses (it was very pink), which funnily enough I didn’t spend much time on. Further up there was more magic, car racing and a large selection of drones. I loved the hover kick, a flat ball that floats along the ground. It was one of my favourite things in the shop so I bought it. There was a section on Harry Potter, loads of games and a blaster that shot air at people when pulled back. I really enjoyed looking at a range of pens that all had unique abilities, changing colour or not being able to be drawn on.

[caption id="attachment_3765" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] There were lots of sweets, and we took a lot home![/caption]

Finally we came to the sweet section ( woooooooooooooooooooooooh ) There was a pick n mix, candy canes, milkshakes and bars of chocolate. Of course we had to try them!

We were then taken to a room that looked as though it was set up for a party with a table with juice and a giant cake. Leah then told us that everything was for us so I ended up getting a whole cake as well as a cute teddy to end off the tour, and a bar of Hamleys chocolate.

Personally it was one of the best things I have done in a long time and would recommend it for everyone! Although I have enjoyed going to Hamleys in the past, it was really special to go round with a guide, who picked out things that she thought I would enjoy and could help us to jump any queues!

Disclosure: We took part in the tour of Hamleys as part of a complimentary luxury family package stay at the Marylebone hotel (see here for our post). This includes a night at the hotel, breakfast and other special family-friendly extras. Neither Hamleys or the hotel had any input into this blog post.

Guided tours of Hamleys cost £40 per person for a minimum of four guests and last for an hour and a half. See more on their website

More posts about London:

A luxury family stay at the Marylebone hotel

5 cool places to eat in London

The End of the UK: Visiting Land's End

Jess, aged 14, says: On our week long trip to Cornwall, our family drove to Land's End: the western and southernmost point of England. I had expected there to be nothing there except for the famous sign, but I was shocked by how much there was to do! The whole family (especially Robert) had a great time, and it was really exciting to see the "end" of England.

[caption id="attachment_2717" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Outside the Land's End complex[/caption]

We had driven for about an hour from our cottage near Truro, and had driven through miles and miles of nothing to get there. We had passed England's "First and Last Inn" in Sennen, and found ourself in a large car park.

As soon as we walked into the centre, we were greeted with posters of the exhibitions that were there: a 4D film, the Shaun the Sheep Experience, Arthur's Quest, the End to End story, and Greeb Farm. I was quite surprised by how commercialised the area was although Robert didn't seem to mind. He quickly dragged me and dad to the 4D film, entitled "The Lost World".

The film was centred on a man named Bob, who meets a crazy Scottish woman named Professor Lizzie on an island. The island is inhabited by dinosaurs, and they have to run, drive, and fly away to escape. The film was especially special as our chairs moved, and we were blasted with air, water, and bubbles. Whilst I found the plot a bit predictable, Robert and dad loved it, and said that it was their favourite parts of the holiday. It certainly was very funny, and the 4D aspect was really cool.

[caption id="attachment_2718" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Inside Arthur's Quest[/caption]

Afterwards, the whole family headed to Arthur's Quest, where we explored the world of King Arthur. It was narrated by Brian Blessed, and the exhibition began with a narration of the tale. The tale was also stuck up around a small alley, but this was quite difficult to read. There was a big rope bridge to walk across, a large model of a dragon, and an interactive quiz, and I really enjoyed the exhibition. Robert was disappointed that it wasn't as exciting as the signs had made it out to be, but I thought that it was really well done and lots of fun.

[caption id="attachment_2649" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Inside the Shaun the Sheep exhibition[/caption]

The next exhibition we visited was the Shaun the Sheep Experience, which, in retrospect, we were too old for. This involved walking through a house, looking at models, and throwing "poo" at a bull. This wasn't too enjoyable, although the house was styled really well and I definitely would have enjoyed it had I been younger. The subsequent room was full of Aardman's history, and we learnt all about how the company animates its characters. There was also an opportunity to draw your own Shaun the Sheep characters, which I tried (and failed) at.

[caption id="attachment_2647" align="alignnone" width="1200"] It was amazing to visit the iconic Land's End sign![/caption]

After enjoying a slushie, it was time to visit the famous Land's End signpost, which was established in the 1950s. The signpost is run by a photography company, and you can pay to get your picture taken with it. What makes these pictures special is that you can customise the signpost to show the distance to your hometown, but we chose not to do that. We had to wait until people were changing the sign to get a picture outside it, but this was fine. It was really cool to see the famous sign, and this certainly made my day.

[caption id="attachment_2719" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The views around Land's End were gorgeous[/caption]

Subsequently, we enjoyed a walk across the cliffs of Land's End. The views were astonishing, and there was a lot to see. We walked for about forty minutes, and while it was steep at times, it was very manageable. Mum absolutely loved the views.

Next was time for lunch, which I thought had quite a few options and was reasonably priced. Mum had a jacket potato, Robert and I had pizza, and dad ate a pasty. The pizza was delicious, and the serving was very decent.



Finally, we walked through the End to End Story exhibition. This exhibition is dedicated to the people who have walked the entire length of Great Britain: Land’s End to John O’Groats. We found out which cities the tour takes you through (this was displayed on a 6000mph video), and learnt about people who completed the journey in all sorts of wacky ways. One man was mailed there in a giant envelope, and one man was frequently arrested on the way for making the journey while naked! This was probably my favourite exhibition, as everything was really interesting and I loved the graphics.

Overall, the whole family had a really great time visiting Land's End. It really was thrilling to go to the "end" of England, and there was a lot to do. Even though it was really commercialised for such a quiet area, it was nice that there was so much to do (it really would have been boring for kids without the exhibitions). The views were gorgeous, and we had a really fun and interesting day.

Please watch the video below to see more about our trip to Cornwall:

[kad_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oWmvduevzM" width=200 height=100 ]

 

Need to know: It is free to go to Land's End and see the beautiful views and walk around. If you want to visit the attractions, however, you do have to pay. They are usually open from 10am daily, although do check the website to confirm times. The attractions are open from March 12th to October 28th (perfect for half-term). You buy one ticket for all of them (including a farm which we didn't visit) and a family ticket  costs £30 for two adults and two children and £27 if booked online.

More in Cornwall:

Visiting the Eden Project, Cornwall

A Week in Cornwall (by all of us!)

Playing football golf

A Great Day Out at Thorpe Park (By Robert)

[caption id="attachment_2498" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The depth charge ride[/caption]

Robert, aged 11, writes: You might know that I turned 11 a few weeks ago, and to celebrate, my Dad took me and some friends to THORPE PARK. That day I was accompanied by a thrill seeker who wanted to go on everything, a boy who was scared of heights and my mate who was too small to go on a handful of the rides. Each of my friends had a totally different experience but they all had a great time overall. This is what happened in our day at the park...

On arrival, we ran to get to the I’m a Celebrity Get Me out Of Here Maze as we’d heard that there was usually a long queue. But when we got there we found out that the attraction only opened at 10am and this was true for many other rides as well.  Instead we went over to Tidal Wave and as it was so early, we didn’t have to wait at all.

[caption id="attachment_2497" align="alignnone" width="900"] Tidal wave ride[/caption]

Tidal Wave is one of the highest log flumes in the UK and is a whopping 85 ft tall. We sat down in our vehicle before slowly going up on a treadmill sort of thing, at the top we went round a corner before plummeting down into a giant pool of water. The splash was so big you couldn’t see anything for a few seconds and then when we thought it was over we got soaked. As there was still no one waiting we went on Tidal Wave five more times before eventually plodding out, nearly unable to walk as we were so cold. You have to be 1.2 metres tall to go on this ride.

It was nearly 10am, so to our dismay we were forced to run in our soaking state and we managed to be the second group to enter the I’m a Celebrity Get Me out Of Here Maze. This was one of the attractions I enjoyed the most and not only because it was about one of my favourite TV shows.

When we entered we were met by one of our campmates who then elected a new leader (this was me). We then watched a video where Ant and Dec explained to us about what we were about to face. The maze wasn’t actually a maze, it was a set of three challenges or Bushtucker trials. The first was to stick your hand in a hole then pass a star from one person to another. Our group failed miserably as one of my friends didn’t understand what to do and just held on to the star for the entire time. The next trial involved answering a question; If you got it correct nothing happened whilst if you got it wrong you’d be covered in something horrible (not really, it was just rice). The final challenge was a bit disappointing as the Celebrity Cyclone was just climbing up a hill with some dramatic lighting. My favourite part of the “maze” was when we had to sort out some washing to spell a word. When we were finished we won some dingo dollars which we could spend on a treat but it didn’t really go to plan. All throughout this attraction you crawl through tunnels and go down slides but these are all optional.

Next we explored Angry Birds Land. Detonator bombs away is a short ride which you have to be 1.3 metres tall to go on. This meant that all my friends could go on it but two decided against that idea and were much happier playing with the claw machines which they did, amazingly, win something in. Detonator bombs away is a 100 ft drop where you go 50 miles an hour. I thought it was really fun and we went on it a few times as it didn’t take very long. Next in Angry Birds Land we went and saw a 4D movie. The film involved some green pigs stealing some eggs from a group of birds. This made them angry and they turned into...  angry birds. The film was extremely entertaining and I loved how the seats moved to make you feel like you were being catapulted or being chased by bees. You might get a bit of saliva on you though, I did warn you.

Next two of us went on Rush. This was definitely the most thrilling ride to go on if you are less than 1.4 metres (the minimum height to go on all the roller coasters). The ride swings you up and down, the height gradually getting bigger each time until it gets to the maximum, 75ft. Every other go you will end up going backwards which sounds horrendous but personally I found it more pleasant than when going forwards. You can see the whole park right at the top which was amazing. I cannot stress how much I loved this ride and how much you should go on it. It was awesome.

Quantum is a smaller version of Rush. You have to be 1.3 metres to go on. In this ride you swing up and down and sometimes you do a whole loop but you are never upside down. This is a really good attraction for people who like rides but don’t want to go on the really big ones. But it did make one of my friends feel quite sick although that might have been the candyfloss, biscuits and crisps!

My friend who was too small to go on some of the rides got to choose the next attraction we did, so after everyone enjoyed a refreshing slushie we reluctantly went on Flying Fish, one of the only roller coasters you can go if you're under 1.3 metres. However, it was really fun and I’d recommend going on it. At my party we went on it about five times throughout the course of the day.

The four of us went on Rumpa Rapids and to be honest it was not worth the wait. I like fast, scary rides and for this attraction you just sit there. It was a bit like a lazy river just with a name that suggests something thrilling. It was quite nice though just to relax and let our clothes dry. Depth Charge was also a slight disappointment. We waited half an hour to go down a slide which only lasted 10 seconds. If you have time you should go on it but it should definitely not be a priority.

Now onto the big, proper rides at the park. Storm in a teacup is the modern day twist (get it) on the classic teacups ride. This means it is exactly the same as it was 20 years ago. You spin around in a teacup. My opinion of this ride was that it was a bit dull and just made you dizzy but two of my friends loved it. Everyone’s got their own opinion.

I was the only one to go on Zodiac as one of my friends ran away as I got into my seat (scaredy Cat). Zodiac is basically a Ferris wheel that spins really fast. It starts off spinning around on the floor and then slowly turns vertical. By the end you are doing one loop the loop after another. It is really fun when you are on it but I did feel queasy afterwards.

Storm Surge is a fun water ride, but you don’t get that wet during it. You are put into an inflatable dinghy with a maximum of 7 other people before rushing down a course of spirals and small drops resulting in a small splash at the end.

We were nearing the end of our trip so this was our time to get extremely scared; this was our time to go on the big roller coasters. Dun, Dun, Duuun. We decided to start off on Nemesis Inferno, which was apparently the least scary of the main five. Unfortunately it was out of order so we were thrown in on the deep end and went on Colossus. Before that day I had never been on any rollercoaster with a loop the loop, I was really excited. Then when I heard the familiar click of me being locked in, I was petrified. Then all of a sudden the ride started and there was no going back. Colossus was fast, very fast and went as quickly as 45 miles per hour. Throughout the ride you spin around a total of ten times, that includes loops, rolls, corkscrews and the UK’s first and only quadruple barrel roll. I really enjoyed the ride and found out that loop the loops aren’t actually that bad and actually enjoyed them near the end of the ride.

Saw was scary. Not only did the ride include a 100 ft vertical drop even just queuing up was freaky. Based on a horror movie the building is meant to creep you out and it really did. Saw starts off inside where I could barely see anything. After a few unexpected drops we were out in fresh air and already slowly sliding upwards and after fifteen seconds of tension we fell. I managed to hate it and love it at the same time. After the plummet we zoomed around loops and spun our way through the rest of the course which did include some more high drops. It was fantastic and one of my favourite rides in the park. You do shake around like a bobble head after some of the drops. You should look at this on the ground as you can see everyone’s heads shaking in unison, it is quite funny.

[caption id="attachment_2496" align="alignnone" width="900"] The Stealth Ride[/caption]

Never in my life did I think I’d go on a rollercoaster that lasts 13 seconds. Stealth is one of Europe’s fastest roller coasters. When the ride starts you go from 0 to 80 miles per hour in less than two seconds. You then quickly zoom up 205 ft before going down again. This ride isn’t actually that scary as it does not go upside down and the drop is nowhere near horizontal but that didn’t matter as it was one of the most exhilarating things that I’ve done in my life.

Finally after another go on flying fish we (that means one other friend and I) went on The Swarm. This was the one ride that I said I would never go on when I entered the park and by the end it was my favourite thing I’d done. Just the introduction to the ride was amazing. As you walked in ambulances were on their side you could see half an aeroplane sitting on a field very close by. The Swarm is the UK’s first winged rollercoaster meaning you sit on either side of the track and there is nothing over or below you. This ride goes at a speed of 100 kilometres an hour so it was really fast. Throughout the ride you fly through billboards and narrowly dodge them as well. It was really exciting and by far my favourite ride in the park.

Overall I had one of the best days out I’ve had in ages at Thorpe Park. There are a few rides like X, the indoor rollercoaster that you don’t have to be that tall for or Nemesis Inferno that were closed when we went but are still great rides. There are also loads of attractions for younger or smaller kids that we didn’t go on. I loved nearly every second and would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Tickets for Thorpe Park are cheaper online! It costs £32.99 per person for a ticket and fasttrack pass which means you can jump the queue for many of the rides. It costs £27.99 for a day pass. You can find out more about the tickets from the website.

Read Robert's view on The London Dungeons and also on Shrek's Attraction.

A Very Sunny Holiday in Domes of Elounda, Crete

Jess, aged 13, writes: When I found out that we were to be travelling to Domes of Elounda in Crete for our summer holiday, I was really excited. We don't usually visit sunny countries, let alone "luxury" resorts, so I couldn't wait to relax in the sun, go swimming in the sea, and eat loads of delicious food. However, I didn't realise that it was going to be so much better than that...

[kad_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0dLZIyjQ1o" width=200 height=100 ]

 

We stayed in a family suite, and it was lovely. The rooms were large and spacious and upon arrival after midnight, we had sandwiches and fresh fruit in our room in case we were hungry! The bath products smelled amazing, and there was even a hot tub outside (though it took us a while how to work out how to use this!)

[caption id="attachment_2232" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The view from our villa was gorgeous![/caption]

The view from our villa was gorgeous, and was so fantastic that it made its way onto our Bests of 2015. We arrived at Domes of Elounda late at night, so we couldn't see anything out of our window until the morning. When I woke up and opened the curtains, I audibly gasped as the view was so stunning - the sea was a beautiful vibrant blue, the sun was high in the sky, and the famous island Spinalonga was in the middle. I ran into mum and dad's room, basically commanding them to draw their blinds as it was just exquisite!

There were so many different food choices at Domes, and everything we tried was delicious. My favourite place was Topos, a fish restaurant beside the sea. We loved the fresh fish and mezze (especially the fried courgette with tzatziki). The food tasted so fresh, and it was miles nicer than the Greek restaurants in London. We also loved the Minoan cooking, which is made outside Topos once a week. Everything is cooked outside in Minoan-style ceramic pots, and there was lots of bread, soup, meat, and salads.

[caption id="attachment_2233" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The food at Domes was all delicious (everything in the picture above is from breakfast!)[/caption]

The main buffet is named Tholos, and the breakfasts there were amazing. There were smoothies, cooked food, fruit, and looads of delicious cakes. They also made special food for Robert as he has allergies, which we all really appreciated. The buffet had special themed nights, such as fish night, Cretan night, Middle Eastern night, Greek night, and Italian night, but our favourite was Asian night due to the scrumptious curries. Mum and dad also had supper at the à la carte restaurant, Anthos, which they really enjoyed (and which was adults only!)

The beach at Domes of Elounda was one of the nicest I've ever been to: the view was magnificent, it was quiet, there were lots of places to sit (including some shade which we all appreciated), and there was the bar and the Topos restaurant nearby. The sea was fantastic; it got deeper and deeper very gradually, so we could wade in really far and go swimming. When you looked down, there were plants and possibly fish beneath you, and the water was so clear and blue. Some days, we spent our entire time at the beach as it was so lovely!

[caption id="attachment_2074" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The beach was gorgeous, sunny, and quiet.[/caption]

There was a water sports centre on the beach, and Robert was really looking forward to having a go. He went water skiing and says: "it was one of the coolest things I've ever done, it was so amazing and I want to do it again". Dad and Robert also went canoeing in the sea, and we all took a speedboat to the island of Spinalonga, which was so much fun.

[caption id="attachment_2234" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert adored going water skiing.[/caption]

We also spent lots of time by the swimming pool, which was absolutely massive. There was a special pool just for the adults, but (obviously) we didn't go in that one...

The Soma Spa at Domes of Elounda is luxurious, and there is even a special menu for kids. I enjoyed my watermelon facial, and mum and dad loved their massages. Domes also has lots of other activities in the resort, such as play rooms for kids (including table tennis and video games), private tennis lessons, and a magic show. All of these aspects made our visit even better.

[caption id="attachment_2236" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Robert had his own private tennis lesson![/caption]

We went on two trips during the holiday - one to Spinalonga, and another to Knossos. Robert has written about Knossos here, as there was so much to see that we think it deserves its own post! The palace of Knossos is a beautiful ancient palace, which proves that the Minoan civilisation actually existed. During our visit, we saw incredible murals, antique vases, and archaic architecture. It was utterly fascinating, although it was really hot...

[caption id="attachment_1880" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The ancient Palace at Knossos[/caption]

We also took a speed boat to the island of Spinalonga, which only took five minutes. This was so much fun, and I loved having the wind in my hair and seeing the water splashing around us. Spinalonga has a very long and interesting history - throughout history, it has been a leper colony, a fort for defence, and a refuge for Ottoman families fleeing Christian reprisals.  We spent about an hour exploring the island: climbing up old buildings, visiting an old church and a haunting cemetery, and then relaxing in the shade under trees. It was picturesque, but simultaneously so strange to think of such a pretty place being almost a prison to those with leprosy.

[caption id="attachment_2239" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Exploring Spinalonga was a strange experience - it was fascinating, but also very sobering.[/caption]

In conclusion, we adored our holiday at Domes of Elounda in Crete. Everyone was just so kind and friendly, everything looked and felt so luxurious, the food was delicious, and there was just so much to do. If only we could go back...

Disclosure: we were very fortunate to be hosted at Domes of Elounda, although they had absolutely no input into this piece. Rooms start from £120 per night for sea view suite, including breakfast and taxes. We flew to Domes via Easyjet and (because it was summer!) flights were not cheap - around £500 each. One upside was that we flew via Sovereign Holidays, which meant we had lounge access - a real boon as the flight was delayed!

More by us:

Travelling Times: Our Top Places to visit in 2015

A day in beautiful Broadstairs, Kent

 

London In The Summer With Kids By Jess

We love London; no surprise there! Out of the four people living in our house, three of us have lived in London for their whole life, and we all agree that it is an incredible place to visit. Lately, our family have been involved in two amazing projects to do with London, and they both were wonderful experiences.

Mum and Rob meeting the "Lord Mayor", Morris (as opposed to Boris!)

Firstly, we were invited to go to the opening of Top Trumps: 30 Things To See In London, where they launched their newest theme - all about London!

My brother Robert loves Top Trumps, so we were all very excited to attend the launch. We discovered that the new game would have information about different landmarks in London, and that children and their parents would be able to use the Top Trumps as a kid friendly tour of the best places to go to in the city.

Rob on an old bus in the transport museum

First of all, we were greeted by the Night-Mayor in front of the London Transport Museum, and were given a sheet full of questions about London landmarks. For half an hour we looked around the museum, and learnt cool facts about trains, buses and more. After this, we went on a bus and saw sights such as Big Ben and Tower Bridge. The day finished with a trip up the Shard, which was looads of fun.

Another amazing experience that Rob and I loved was helping to film a video about the best things to do in London, which is here. We were asked to get involved by Bound Round.



It was a really strange experience to be filmed and talk to a camera, but it was loads of fun and we love the video. We hope you find it useful!

Read more posts about London:

A Great Trip To Buckingham Palace By Me

The London Dungeons By Robert

London In The Summer With Kids By Jess

We love London; no surprise there! Out of the four people living in our house, three of us have lived in London for their whole life, and we all agree that it is an incredible place to visit. Lately, our family have been involved in two amazing projects to do with London, and really enjoyed them both.

Mum and Rob meeting the "Lord Mayor", Morris (as opposed to Boris!)

Firstly, we were invited to go to the opening of Top Trumps: 30 Things To See In London, where they launched their newest theme - all about London!

My brother Robert loves Top Trumps, so we were all very excited to attend the launch. We discovered that the new game would have information about different landmarks in London, and that children and their parents would be able to use the Top Trumps as a kid friendly tour of the best places to go to in the city.

Rob on an old bus in the transport museum

First of all, we were greeted by the Night-Mayor in front of the London Transport Museum, and were given a sheet full of questions about London landmarks. For half an hour we looked around the museum, and learnt cool facts about trains, buses and more. After this, we went on a bus and saw sights such as Big Ben and Tower Bridge. The day finished with a trip up the Shard, which was looads of fun.

Another amazing experience that Rob and I loved was helping to film a video about the best things to do in London, which is here. We were asked to get involved by Bound Round.



It was a really strange experience to be filmed and talk to a camera, but it was loads of fun and we love the video. We hope you find it useful!

Read more posts about London:

A Great Trip To Buckingham Palace By Me

The London Dungeons By Robert

What should the kids take on holiday? Here's an idea..by Jess and Robert

Our Fun Packs

It's always tricky to know what to pack to take on holiday, not least when you have children. It's particularly difficult when you have all the paraphernalia of a small child, but while you can dispense with buggies and nappy bags as the kids grow up, these get replaced with masses of toys and books. Often (as I know to my chagrin after schlepping heavy bags on train, plane and car), much of the stuff taken on trips doesn't get used. What's a parent to do?

These real-life experiences meant that luxury hotel company Original Travel's new tie-up with Sharky and George immediately caught my eye. Their aim is for children to have a great holiday experience (something we all know means that the adults are likely to have a great time too), providing what they describe as "stimulating fun and educational adventures" for your kids

They're doing this in a variety of ways (see the website for more information) and the one which attracted us was the introduction of some holiday fun packs, tailored to each individual child. Jess and Robert decided to check them out on your behalf. The bags are intended for the whole trip, not just the journey, which does indeed sound a clever idea...

Over to Jess:

Robert and I were sent some packs of our own, which were AMAZING! The packs are for ages 3-12 and even though I thought I would be too old, I wasn't.
First of all, we both took questionnaires to help the people at Original Travel and Sharky and George decide what to put in our bags. We answered questions such as our favourite colours, what we like to do outside and what our favourite TV shows/ films are. We also said where we were going on holiday this summer, so they could give us bags which were relevant to us.

Our packs arrived quickly and we really loved them. Here is what we thought...

Robert  with his pack

Jess - My pack came in a really useful bag and was full to the brim with loads to do. As I had said that I was going cycling in Austria, I was given a water bottle and a headphone splitter, which can also be used to make your phone stand up. There was loads in my bag, even a booklet that had questions about Austria on it! I absolutely can't wait to take my pack on holiday, as I adore every single thing inside it. It actually contained things which I would use.

Robert - My pack is really good! At first I thought it looked a bit babyish as there was a cuddly toy on the outside, but mum told me that you can take it off so that was okay.
Everything came in a very useful bag and it was full of lots of cool things. My bag had space scratch art decorations (I said that I was going to Nasa Space Camp!), make-your-own space gliders, t-shirt graffiti, two different slime activities, pens, water bombs, tattoos, a massive book filled with games, a notepad and EDIBLE BUGS! I can't wait to make my own slime and use the water bombs. There was also a mini booklet that had lots of activities and games to do when I am on holiday.

The contents of my pack

These packs are really helpful for going on holiday, as they include things that you wouldn't necessarily take with you on a normal trip and there are loads of wacky, out of the box ideas to fight boredom on long journeys, in your hotel room, or anywhere really! I know that it is normally really hard to decide what to bring on holiday, but with a pack like this you don't face this problem. I genuinely think that this is great for every child aged 12 or under, as they seem to put some real thought into the packs that they give you.

Families receive the fun packs up to four weeks before going on holiday because Original Travel found that most parents buy their children games and things to do before they go away. The idea is that the pack will take all that stress away, which sounds good to us.

If you would like more articles written by both me and Robert, check these out...

An Amazing Time At clueQuest By All Of Us

Travelling Times - Our "Bests" Of 2013

Disclosure: Jessica and Robert were sent the packs to try out on a complimentary basis. However, their thoughts and descriptions are, of course, entirely their own.

What should the kids take on holiday? Here's an idea..by Jess and Robert

Our Fun Packs

It's always tricky to know what to pack to take on holiday, not least when you have children. It's particularly difficult when you have all the paraphernalia of a small child, but while you can dispense with buggies and nappy bags as the kids grow up, these get replaced with masses of toys and books. Often (as I know to my chagrin after schlepping heavy bags on train, plane and car), much of the stuff taken on trips doesn't get used. What's a parent to do?

These real-life experiences meant that luxury hotel company Original Travel's new tie-up with Sharky and George immediately caught my eye. Their aim is for children to have a great holiday experience (something we all know means that the adults are likely to have a great time too), providing what they describe as "stimulating fun and educational adventures" for your kids

They're doing this in a variety of ways (see the website for more information) and the one which attracted us was the introduction of some holiday fun packs, tailored to each individual child. Jess and Robert decided to check them out on your behalf. The bags are intended for the whole trip, not just the journey, which does indeed sound a clever idea...

Over to Jess:

Robert and I were sent some packs of our own, which were AMAZING! The packs are for ages 3-12 and even though I thought I would be too old, I wasn't.

Read more »