http://www.seemonterey.com/tourist-activities/family-adventures/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:58:03 +0100 WebGen + FeedCreator 1.7.2-ppt Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:06:13 +0100 http://www.seemonterey.com/tourist-activities/family-adventures/ Family AdventuresThe most successful family vacations keep one essential component in mind: the grown-ups in the group have to feel as engaged, as excited, and as happy as the young ones – and vice versa. Theme park getaways often pall on parents by the umpteenth ride, while few children could trudge from art gallery to museum through sweltering city streets without becoming a bit surly. Monterey County has amusements for children that make parents smile, and attractions for adults that will have the young ones asking for another visit.Choosing What To DoMonterey has so many intriguing options, your most difficult moment will be deciding what to do each morning. There’s MY Museum, a real hands-on place where kids can make a tv program or run a country store, and the adventure playground of Dennis the Menace Park (created for the city by the creator of Dennis, Hank Ketcham). They can learn about our marine wildlife at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, then play ‘eye-spy’ during a drive through Pebble Beach’s 17-Mile Drive, home to shoreline birds, harbor and elephant seals, and more. You may never hear them say ‘are we there yet?’ again. At least until you leave Monterey...The Great Shopping CompromiseChildren can be reluctant shoppers. To coax a little cooperation, choose a destination that makes browsing as much fun as possible: Cannery Row. The old canneries are now packed with a dazzling array of shops, galleries and places to eat. You can reward patience while you do some bay-side wine tasting at the end of Steinbeck Plaza by sampling every known flavor of salt-water taffy, or honor their good humor while you tried on sportwear and silver jewelry in the American Tin Cannery with a kite or wind-toy.Who knows? You might even pique their curiosity about how the Row got its name: buy them a copy of John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row to read on the way home.Top 5 for FamiliesWatch sea otters roll and tumble in the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Rent a four-wheeled surrey and cruise along the coast between Cannery Row and Fisherman's Wharf.‘Treasure hunt’ the galleries of the National Steinbeck Center.Pack a picnic and head to Marina State Beach to fly a kite or build a family-sized sandcastle.Pick luscious strawberries beneath the giant-sized field workers at The Farm. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:06:13 +0100 en_293_383_0