Bunchland

Cynthia Kinnunen blogs about sharing stuff from your childhood with your kids

Although we were never able to venture too far from home (no trips abroad), some of my fondest memories growing up were travel-related.  You know, good old road trips and whatnot.

I grew up in a northern Ontario town that was only a short hop over to the US border.  We would spend many of our travel dollars (plug your ears, Canadians) in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. There were plenty of adventures, from throwing up on rides at Valleyfair amusement park near Minneapolis, to the wild (and might I say, slightly strange) world of Wisconsin Dells to all manner of museums and live shows.  From the schmaltzy to the cultural, we didn’t shy away from any opportunity for fun.

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Cynthia Kinnunen and her family drove from Toronto to Orlando

Our drive to Orlando (from Toronto) was long but was not without a few interesting (or questionable) sights to see along the way. Aside from endless reams of the standard vacation/travel-type photos, we caught a few other shots.

The view at New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. OK, this is a typical travel shot right off the bat but it was one of the most beautiful mornings on our drive.

The hotel’s sign caught our attention first but then the kids wondered about the message on the board beneath. What if your dog isn’t super? Do you need to find another hotel?

Sweet Savannah bicycle.

Bikini top in fountain. The kids wondered if some poor woman was walking around Savannah topless.  Read more...

Cynthia Kinnunen and her family drove from Toronto to Orlando

I know, I know, everyone always talks “Disney” when they head down to Orlando with kids. And don’t get me wrong: Disney is a wonderful magical adventure, particularly for the littlest in the family. But on this last excursion to Orlando (and don’t think we go all the time – this is only our second trip there) we chose to test out Universal Studios.

Stay with me for a moment: as a kid, I ended up in Universal Studios (California) and have very fond memories of it. At age eight, I got to hug cast members from Battlestar Galactica, get freaked out by Jaws and feel incredibly tiny next to props from The Incredible Shrinking Woman. I remember those moments more than the visit to Disney on that same trip. I had some high expectations of this visit to Universal. I wanted my kids to feel wowed by the experience just as I was.  Read more...

Cynthia Kinnunen and her family are on the road en route to Disney World

We’ve sent Old School Still Cool blogger Cynthia Kinnunen off on a roadtrip to Disney World in a Chevrolet Orlando. How will she and the family fare on that 23-hour or so drive down? She’ll be reporting back from the road and is sure to have picked up a few survival tips.

Somewhere along the way when you’re driving very long distances in a vehicle with your kids – like from Toronto to Orlando – you either toss out your sanity and offer your brood to the next nicest-looking person you see, or you find everyone gets into a bit of a groove. Hopefully the latter is what most of us end up with, although I do admit that a little sanity went out the window somewhere in North Carolina…  Read more...

Cynthia Kinnunen, her husband and their three kids are on the road en route to Disney World.

We’ve sent Old School Still Cool blogger Cynthia Kinnunen off on a roadtrip to Disney World in a Chevrolet Orlando. How will she and the family fare on that 23-hour or so drive down? She’ll be reporting back from the road and is sure to have picked up a few survival tips.

One of the toughest parts of taking a family roadtrip can be simply getting out the door. Between choosing the appropriate attire (after reviewing the weather forecast a million times), packing said attire into efficient, space-saving baggage (impossible!), plotting child entertainment and snacking strategies and ensuring no “can’t live without” cuddlies are left behind, this is no easy task!  Read more...

Our travel blogger Corinne McDermott shares her picks for March Break adventures

Right now my daughter is a tad obsessed with polar bears. I think I also went through such a phase when I was younger – looking at pictures of the seemingly cuddly creatures made me feel all warm and fuzzy. I refused to believe that polar bears were ferocious. How could something that cute possibly want to eat me?

With March Break around the corner, I was thinking about places we could go so my daughter could learn more about these beautiful and terrifying beasts that, sadly, many fear may be extinct by 2050. I’ll let you guess which one of these experiences we’ll probably end up doing…

The Toronto Zoo  Read more...

Our travel blogger Corinne shares three wildly different family holiday ideas

Corinne and crew

Every December 26, we say the same thing: “Next year, we’re going away!” Of course, now that the holidays are looming, we’ve not yet made any plans. But there is still time to escape, with the next question being, “Where the heck are we going to go?”

Here are three ideas, ranging from the budget-conscious and totally doable to the crazy-expensive-and-totally-wild-but-fun-to-dream-about-and-maybe actually-do-one-day.

Up North

If you can’t stand the thought of cooking the turkey but perish the idea of a hot and sandy festive season, hop in the car and in less than two hours later you’ll be in a magical winter wonderland, where meals are provided without extended family drama (unless, of course, you invite them along). Enter the Fern.  Read more...