Visit Omaha: Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

On our last day in Omaha, we decided to visit Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.  We didn't have any plans on going to the zoo, since we've already been to a lot of zoos throughout our travels.  But after hearing so many people say we MUST visit the zoo (it's one of the best in the nation), we thought we may as well visit (because when will we be in Omaha again?).

I am SO glad we visited the zoo.  It was one of the highlights of my trip!

With over 160 acres of exhibits and thousands of animals, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is the best zoo I've ever visited.

There were so many attractions, exhibits, and experiences, and we squeezed in as much as we could!

We saw so many amazing animals, including a red panda, Indian rhino, elephants, orangutans, pelicans, zebras, antelopes, lions, and so much more! 

We even saw a baby gorilla that was born just the month before!

 

There were lots of cool experiences, including a Lemur Walkway (the lemurs roam around amongst the humans!) and a Giraffe Encounter, where we could feed the giraffes!

There were so many fantastic exhibits at the Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium that made it stand out from any other zoo I've visited.

The Mahoney Kingdoms of the Night is an exhibit full of nocturnal creatures; the Lied Jungle will have you walking through a rainforest as bats fly by (yes, bats!); Desert Dome, the world's largest indoor desert, is complete with caves and cliffs housing animals from Australia and Africa; the Butterfly & Insect Pavilion will have you strolling amongst fluttering butterflies of all colors!

There is even a huge playground, a carousel, a train, and many other kid-friendly activities.  

I'm so glad we visited Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium!  It was definitely an incredible zoo!

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
3701 S 10th St

Omaha, NE 68107

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How to Climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa

There were like a bajillion highlights of our first trip to Italy, but our fun time climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa truly sticks out (pun, unfortunately intended).  At the port of Livorno, there are many excursion options.  In the best interest of our kids, we decided to skip Florence and visit Lucca and Pisa.  Okay, it may have been in my best interest as well as I have always wanted to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and take one of those cheesy photos of the kids holding it up.  I was even more excited about it when I learned that you could climb the tower.

You can purchase tickets (18 euros each) to climb the tower through the official website at www.opapisa.it, but be aware that children that have not turned 8 by the end of the year will not be permitted to enter.  Tickets can be ordered a maximum 20 days (GMT) in advance of the date of the visit.  I would recommend setting your alarm because tickets sell out fast! 

There are 251 steps to the top and typically, the visit takes 30 minutes.  The climb is not recommended for those with cardiovascular and muscle disorders and the site cautions that the floor is uneven and slippery.  Bags are not allowed in the tower so make sure you give yourself time to drop them off at the cloakroom.  If the weather looks a little iffy, keep your umbrella with you.  We wish we had because during our descent, it started to storm and then hail!  Luckily, the kids were amazed by the hail and it made the experience more memorable.

This way up!

The view is quite worth it! 

Top view of the Cathedral.

Before the storm.



8 year old for scale.

Goal attained!

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Visit Tokyo: Ueno Zoo

Ueno Zoo was our first stop in our trip to Tokyo, Japan.  It's located inside Ueno Park and easily accessible by train.  By chance, we arrived at the doors thirty minutes before opening and can you believe there was already a line?  But once the zoo opened, the line moved quickly.  



We bought our tickets from the vending machine.  Admission is 600 yen for ages 16 and older; 200 yen for ages 13-15; 300 yen for senior citizens; and children 12 and under are free which made it a very affordable activity.  Be sure to check their calendar when it comes to closures.

Our priority was to visit the Giant Panda exhibit which of course was crowded, but it was still very fun to see.  The zoo isn't huge, but the exhibits are nicely organized and it was easy to navigate.  The West Garden can be reached by monorail or on foot and has a children's petting zoo.  We liked the assortment of food at the small cafe there.
 

My daughter loved the panda exhibit, but had hoped to see more than one panda and my son really had fun at the reptile house.  If you have small children, they would have a great time here!


Ueno Zoo,
9-83, Ueno Park, Taito-ku,
Tokyo 110-8711,
Japan

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Visit Yokohama - Cup Noodles Museum

I centered our family trip to Tokyo around my kids and since we had some time after exploring Tokyo, I decided a day trip to Yokohama to visit the Cup Noodles Museum would be fun for them.  It took us about 40 minutes by train to get to Yokohama from Shinagawa.  It was a nice and scenic 10 minute walk from the train station to the Cup Noodle Museum.  The museum is also located near a huge mall (World Porters) and an amusement park complete with ferris wheel and roller coasters.

During planning, I had visited the website and learned that in addition to making your own cup noodle, you can also sign up for the chicken ramen classes.  However, it said you had to work in pairs and I wasn't sure they would allow myself and 2 kids.  Plus, the sign up is online in Japanese.  The reservations for the chicken ramen class sell out so don't expect it to be available if you didn't make a reservation.

The entrance to the museum is 500 yen for adults and free for children.  The cost of each cup noodles is 300 yen.  Once you pay your admission, you get tickets for a time slot for the My CUPNOODLES factory.  You get in line at the time designated on your ticket.  Once you enter the cafeteria, you purchase your cup noodles from a vending machine.  Next you'll cleanse your hands with the sanitizing spray.  You then get seated by the staff to a table where you decorate your Cup Noodle.  Be sure to stay within the red lines and write the date.  The noodles need to be eaten within a month. 

After you'r done decorating, you'll stand in another line to make your cup noodle.  You'll get to choose one of 4 soup bases: chili tomato, cup noodle, curry, or seafood.  Then you get to choose 4 toppings.  If you only want one topping, you can get 4 servings of it.  You'll then watch it get sealed and heat wrapped.  It was a very fun and creative experience for the kids.  They both enjoyed it and I highly recommend this activity. 









Afterwards, the kids played at the Cup Noodles Park.  The admission is 300 yen for 30 minutes and is very well organized.  The kids travel to each station clockwise so it's not chaotic like other playgrounds.  We also checked out their food court for treats, but if you can wait it out, go next door and visit the mall's food court for better selections.     
     
Cup Noodles Museum
2-3-4 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0001 Japan

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Visit Tokyo: Harry Hedgehog Cafe

I'm not a huge animal person so I was on the fence about the Hedgehog Cafe.  I decided to ask my children if they wanted to go.  Of course, they did.  (duh.) 

After reading the reviews and talking to people that went, it's best to make an appointment online.  Appointments usually open up for the next month a couple of weeks before.  With online appointments, you are reserving the entire hour for 2800 yen per person whether or not you pet the hedgehogs.  If you go without a reservation, you can visit for a half an hour for 1190 yen, but you may have to wait if there's a line.  I was worried that we wouldn't need the entire hour, but turns out we did and my kids could have actually stayed longer if allowed.
 
When we got there I was happy that it was a brightly lit and cheery cafe.  We were seated next to a trough with 4 hedgehogs snuggled inside.  We read the dos and don'ts and then a staff member came over to demonstrate how to hold the hedgehog.  We also ordered a snack, worms, to feed the hedgehogs.  We wore gloves and made sure to keep the hedgehogs inside the trough.

 

It was a little stressful watching the kids handle the little animals.  I harshly whispered "gently!" many times!  The kids totally loved every minute and it was one of their favorite memories of our trip.  Definitely recommend! 

Harry Hedgehog Cafe and Pet Store 
Tokyo, Minato-ku, Roppongi 6-7-2 IWAHORI Building 2F
 

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Visit San Francisco: Children's Creativity Museum

The Children's Creativity Museum in Yerba Buena Gardens is unlike any other museum our family has ever been to before.

"Creativity" really plays an integral role in this museum, as kids are encouraged to nurture their creative side in every aspect of the museum, whether it's decorating a LEGO wall, building animals with blocks, and molding creatures with foam in the Imagination Lab, or completing an obstacle course in the Play Patio.

LEGO Wall

Molding with foam

Building blocks

Outdoor obstacle course

The different labs and studios in the Children's Creativity Museum really allow kids to explore their creative side, instilling a sense of confidence as they accomplish various tasks.

For instance, in the Innovation Lab, kids can participate in a Mystery Box Challenge. First kids will pick an age-appropriate challenge card, then grab a mystery box full of odds & ends (packing peanuts, fabric, corks, paper, etc.) to create a solution for the challenge. Challenges my kids picked included "A Playground for Elephants" and "An Air Suit for a Shark." Challenges do get more complex the older the child.

My kids did multiple challenges each, and I loved watching them tinker with the materials and figure out how to complete each challenge.

Contents of the Mystery Box

An Air Suit for a Shark

It was fun to see what the kids crafted! After the mission, they could choose to take home their inventions, or leave them at the museum for display.

In the Music Studio, we made a music video! The kids picked a song, chose a background, and grabbed pretend instruments, then we all sang The Alphabet Song in front of a green screen. A copy of the finished video can be emailed to you at no charge, and you can share it with friends and family. What a fun memory!

Costumes and props

Getting ready to perform!

After making the music video, the kids went to explore a couple of the cool stations inside the Music Studio.

He couldn't stop giggling!

Air Harp

My kids also had a lot of fun in the Tech Lab, where they experimented with coding.  They were tasked with navigating robots through a maze or obstacle course, or having them draw on a table.

Navigating a maze

Coding to get robots to draw

In the Animation Studio, kids are taught how to make clay characters for use in their very own stop-motion animation video!

Each of my kids created their own character by applying clay (guts) to a metal frame (bones), and then applying more clay for the skin, clothing, and face.

Putting the "guts" on the "bones"

Rolling out clay to make a shirt

The kids had a blast making their own stop motion animation video

Once everyone created their characters, they were taught how to make the stop-motion animation video.  The final video can be emailed to you (no charge), and visitors can even take their creations home (a donation is recommended due to the costs of the materials, but not required).

The fun doesn't end when you leave the museum!  Just outside of the Children's Creativity Museum is the LeRoy King Carousel.

LeRoy King Carousel

Each ticket ($4/person; $3/person with paid museum admission) is good for two rides!

The Children's Creativity Museum is such an innovative museum, where kids can put their critical thinking skills to good use to express their individuality and imagination, and it was definitely a highlight of our trip to San Francisco.

The staff members' patience and enthusiasm only added to our wonderful experience. They were all so friendly and helpful, and really showed an interest in nurturing each child's creativity. 

The woman overseeing the Innovation Lab didn't just accept the kids' creations, but she asked about the different parts of the object and why it was made a certain way. This really helped in building my kids' communication skills.

In the Tech Lab, the staff member was so accommodating to my oldest, who has an autism spectrum disorder. My son had difficulty understanding what needed to be done with the robots, and although I never discussed my son being on the spectrum with the employee, the employee was just so patient and kept adapting the course to my son's interests.

A visit to the Children's Creativity Museum will not only inspire kids, but it will also inspire parents, as they watch their children develop confidence and skills to express their uniqueness.

If you're visiting the San Francisco area with kids, be sure to check out the Children's Creativity Museum!

Children's Creativity Museum
Yerba Buena Gardens

221 4th St

San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 820-3320

Click here for hours and admission prices.

We parked at the Fifth & Mission Parking Garage, which is just a short walk from the museum.

Complimentary tickets for the museum and carousel were received.

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