• Pancake Breakfast- From 8:30 to 11 am there is a pancake breakfast at the Fire Hall.
• Parade- There will be a parade and live music starting at 1 pm.
• Independence Day Celebration- Directly after the parade, head to Nehalem Bay Winery for a BBQ and live music and dancing. There is no cover charge, and the whole family is invited to attend. Nehalem Bay Winery is on Highway 53 near Wheeler, one mile from the Highway 101 junction. For more information, call (888)368-9463, or check them out on the web.
• Fireworks-Fireworks will take over the skies at dusk. If you want a real treat, pack some food and head up early to the top of Neahkahnie Mountain north of Manzanita, and enjoy the fireworks displays from Seaside, Manzanita, and Rockaway Beach. Be sure to get there long before the show!

Rockaway Beach

• Parade-A Parade will march through Rockaway Beach starting at 11 am. It will start at the School Administration Building, and head down to Hwy 101 from Bank to Third.
• 4th of July Auction-Directly after the parade, there will be an auction hosted by the Rockaway Beach Chamber of Commerce at the Red Caboose at Wayside.
• Kids Fun Day on the Beach-The Lion's Club sponsors this annual event featuring games and excitement for children of all ages. The fun gets underway at 1pm.
• Fireworks Display-When the sun goes down, the fireworks will fly over the beach. It's truly a site to see.
• For more information call (503)355-2291

Oceanside

• Fireworks-The town of Oceanside, which is West of Tillamook, will be set at dusk. The display can be seen from Netarts.

Pacific City

• Pacific City's Independence Day celebration will coincide with the Clover Days celebration, and be on Saturday, the 5th of July rather than the traditional day, July 4th
• All-you-can-eat breakfast-7-10 am, the Lin's will be hosting a pancake all-you-can-eat breakfast at the VFW Hall. Prices are $6.00 for adults, and $3.00 for children under 12.
• Kid's Corner-From 10 am-3 pm, kids can enjoy a free surrey ride, free ice cream, a bouncy house, a Ferrier demonstration, art, food, and vendors.
• Parade-At 11 am, come see the 27th annual Clover's Day Parade.
• Free Concert-Immediately following the parade, there will be a free convert featuring the popular "Calamity Jazz" from Eugene, Oregon. Bridge street will be closed for the show.
• Fireworks-The fireworks will be set off on the beach at dark.
• Kiwanda Music Festival-At 2 pm, six bands from all over Oregon, with diverse styles of music will play at the southwest corner of the Cape Kiwanda parking lot. There will also be arts and craft vendors. For more information, call (541)996-7746.
• For all Clover's Day information, please contact the Pacific City-Nestucca Valley Chamber of Commerce at (503)392-4340, or email them at manager@pcnvchamber.org. For firework information, call (503)965-7102.

We took the ferry from Singapore and arrived at Teluk Senimba ferry terminal only 45 minutes later. There was the staff from Holiday Inn waiting for their guests. The journey from the terminal to the resort took only 5 minutes. On the whole, the journey took about 1 hour. With an active toddler, long journeys is out of the question for us.

Friendly Welcoming

We were warmly received at the reception counter by the staff at Holiday Inn. During our stay, we were often greeted with smiles by the staff, be it the concierge, the restaurant staff or the pool boys.

Relax

We took a walk around the hotel and caught sight of the swimming pool. It was beautiful. There is even a slide for kids. My daughter is not old enough to go on the slide which plunges into the pool, but we brought her to the shallowest end of the pool. She absolutely loved it, splashing around, and making attempts at swimming, like the other kids in the pool. It was so relaxing at the pool.

Shopping

Although we chose a resort which is away from town, to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but we decided to see what the town has to offer in terms of shopping experience. We took a cab to a mall called Nagoya Hill. There was a giant hypermart, many stores with the latest fashion and lots of restaurants.

Food

The food was cheaper at the mall than at the hotel, of course. There were lots of restaurants serving local and international cuisine. There was several fast food outlets as well. You can also lounge at the coffee parlors, similar to Starbucks. We did not have much time though, so we skipped the coffee. If you are a fan of seafood, there are also many restaurants serving local seafood dishes.

Favorable Exchange Rate

The Indonesian rupiah is a weak currency. At the hotel, prices were set in Singapore dollars, although you can choose to pay in the rupiah. But when you go to town, all payments are made in the rupiah, which will be to your advantage. We did not bring any Indonesian rupiah and had to look for a Money Changer. Luckily there was one at the mall.

Places of Interest

There are several places of interest we did not get to go due to time constraint. One of them is the Barelang Bridge, which is the symbol of Batam. We will definitely go and visit it when we come back to Batam.

Kueh Lapis and Keropok

If you get to go to Batam Center, you can order Kueh Lapis, which is a layered cake. You can come back in one hour to collect the freshly-made cake. It's delicious. There are some ready-made ones sold at the hypermart, but nothing beats the aroma of freshly-baked Kueh Lapis. There are also many keropok (like crackers) to choose from - fish, prawn and many other flavors.

There are many other things I like about Batam which is not listed here. This island is out to attract tourists from other countries, especially those who visits Singapore, as it is just 45 minutes away. My trip is too short, I feel. I will definitely come back here to visit Batam again, to explore all the other fabulous things that I missed out during this trip.

Spend some time a few weeks before your trip simulating the airplane experience with your child! Start with just a few minutes at a time, having them sit in make-shift airplane seats (just line up a few kitchen chairs) reading and playing quietly. Increase this time daily, explaining that "when we go to Disney World (Grampa's house, Timbuktu, or wherever your destination), we will get to sit in special seats like these, where we can read and draw..." Explain that there will be lots of people on the airplane and teach them how to keep their feet off the seats in front of them. Then when it comes fly time, the "new rules" will actually be a familiar situation for them. Your fellow passengers will appreciate it, too!

Before you try to pack your whole world in that suitcase, check the airline's policies on weight regulation and number of bags you can check and carry on. It may seem like bringing all your child-caring ammenities will help you out, but in reality, the less you have to carry, the easier your traveling is going to be. Pack enough to get you to where you're going, and then purchase things like diapers, wipes, and formula at your destination. (Make sure to have a little extra in case of travel delays!) Many hotels will have cribs, high chairs, etc that you can request to have in your room. If you will be staying with family, have them ask around before your arrival to see if they have friends with small children. They might be able to borrow some of the items that you need for the extent of your stay!

To avoid high and rising costs of airport food (which isn't exactly a delectable treat anyway!) pack snacks and drinks in sippy cups or spill-proof kiddie cups with straws. (The sucking action will help prevent ear pain during take-off and landing.) Airports will allow you to take juice or milk with you through security, but water must be purchased after going through to your gate, for security reasons.

Departure time

Make sure to leave yourself extra time to get where you need to be. It takes an extra few minutes to fold up strollers and shift booster seats than it does for you to sprint through the airport by yourself.

When you get to the gate where you will be boarding, let your child expend some energy. After all, you're about to spend a fair amount of time cooped up in a small space! Many airports have play areas for children, so ask the gate attendant if they have one. If not, an empty gate area makes a great jungle gym... empty aisles, vacant rows of squishy chairs...

Almost all airlines offer preboarding for passengers requiring assistance or extra boarding time. This includes people with handicaps and small children. Some might argue that small children are a handicap of sorts! Do not take advantage of this opportunity. The longer you wait to get on the airplane, the less time you and your children have to sit still. If you're traveling with more than one adult, one of you can bring your carry-on bags and find a seat, and the other can follow with the kiddos.

Up we go!

Now's the time to bust out those sippy cups! Let your child sit next to the window and sip on their juice (or whatever you packed for them!) A very young child that is either nursing or bottle-feeding can be fed now to avoid the helplessness and frustration of a screaming baby with inner ear pain.

When the flight attendants come around with drink selections, ask him or her to refill your child's cup so that you can repeat this process at landing time. A binkie for an infant who isn't hungry will have essentially the same effect.

Depending on the age of your child, there are a variety of things you can do to keep your child busy. Books, crayons, and stuffies are obvious choices for babies with enough dexterity to scribble, but older toddlers might enjoy a trip to the cockpit. Ask your flight attendant if the captain that is flying your plane accepts visitors! By purchasing new toys and activities for your child, and not allowing them to be used until they are on the airplane, the novelty will be more exciting. You can even gift wrap these items for an added level of interest and to eat up a few more minutes!

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Yes, there are some people who do not appreciate how difficult it can be to travel with children. But the majority of the people around you will be sensitive, understanding, and more than willing to lend you a hand should you need it.

Lastly, try to cut yourself some slack. Give your child lots of love and attention and try not to get too frustrated, no matter how longingly you want to try your new book of sudoku puzzles. This is a memory in the making, and you want to be able to look back on your time together and smile.

Gardens

The park is set in acres of beautifully tended mature gardens and for anyone with green fingers, the quality and variety of plant life is breath taking.

No matter how busy the park gets, you can always find a pretty secluded area in the gardens to eat lunch and enjoy the views.

So even if you have no interest in theme park rides, Alton Towers is still a wonderful place for a visit.

The Tower

The tower (which dates back to the 8 th century) looms impressively in the distance as you enter the park, it remains a semi ruin with the “Hex” ride being located in part of the ruin.

Top 10 Rides

1. Oblivion

   This is the most terrifying ride with a colossal vertical drop. Strapped in, you ascend the track slowly, the car then dangles you face first over the vertical drop before letting you go. I have never managed to keep my eyes open on this ride - the terror is just too great

2. Rita Queen of Speed

   A short ride with a long queue - but worth the wait with an indescribable buzz as the car reaches speeds of 100mph in 2.5 seconds. Tip - check your eye makeup when you get off this ride, it is likely to end up somewhere around your ears.

3. Air

   The most genuinely enjoyable experience - Strapped, and tipped forward to face the ground, the ride glides at high speed around the track - taking you high into the air, giving you the sensation of free flying. You cannot fail to feel exhilarated on this ride.

4. Nemesis

   Just a top class roller coaster - surrounded by imaginative, eye-catching enhancements, as you are swooped over the river of blood.

5. Duel

   Not the fastest of rides, but you are driven through a haunted house, full of creepy creatures, armed with a light gun which keeps score of your hits - enabling you to compete with your family and friends. Top fun.

6. Runaway Mine Train

   Fast, furious and great fun rollercoaster, fabulously adorned to inspire the imagination.

7. Congo River Rapids

   In a round boat, you are sent careering down the river, bashing the sides, spinning beneath waterfalls. Prepare to get wet.

8. Ug Swing

   A great favourite for the children. Individual swings which rotate and rise high into the air.

9. Hex

   This ride takes advantage of the towers history and genuinely spooky décor. Hex relates the tale of the curse of the old oak and you experience a disorientating and stomach churning ride at the end.

10. Submission

    A swinging boat which takes you that little bit further - before you know it, you are dangling upside down. Tip - Women in low cut tops - beware, you may expose more than you want to.

 

I challenge anyone not to enjoy a day out at Alton Towers!

1. Eat breakfast before you go into the park. We found having a good, hearty breakfast before going into the park gave us energy to last until the afternoon, so while most people were in having their lunch, we were enjoying the rides!
2. Take bottles of water in with you. It is so important for adults and kids to keep hydrated in the heat but it can be expensive buying water in the parks. We bought a small cool bag from Wal-Mart, popped in an ice pack and we had cool water all day long, and we did not have to pay park prices.
3. You are not going to see everything in one visit, so don't even try. The Disney parks are massive, usually busy and usually hot so you will not make it round the whole park, seeing everything you want to see in one day. Make a list of what you want to see and find it on the map. Then you won't waste time wondering where things are.
4. Hire a stroller for the kids. Not just for the babies or toddlers either. This year, we had a 9 year old and a six year old in the double stroller (just don't tell their friends!). It was blisteringly hot and they were tired and grumpy. So we hired the stroller, gave them an ice-cream and they got to cool down and watch the park go by for while. It saved a whole lot of tension and stress and we were all happier for it.
5. Get the kids involved before you visit the parks. There is lots of information about the parks and the kids can plan what rides they want to go on, what characters they want to meet and what shows they want to see. That way, they can see in advance what rides are not appropriate for their age/height and no tantrums in the line for the ride itself. It's also great for a long plane ride to get the older kids to sit with their Disney maps and plan it all out. Keeps them busy and passes the time.

1. License Plate Game:

   This is best geared towards very long out of state trips. What you do is you take a sheet of paper and write every state in the United States on it. As you are driving you cross out the different states as you see their license plates. This will quite possibly take you all of your vacation and return trip to spot every state. As it gets closer to the end of the vacation you can add a little extra incentive for spotting these by putting a dollar amount on each remaining state.

2. Alphabet Game:

   This game won't work too well when you are driving on the freeway, but it works excellent when you are driving through cities. You play against at least one other person. You start at "A" and try to find every letter in the alphabet between "A" and "Z". They have to be in order. There are a few tricky letters that are best spotted on license plates.

3. Compound Words:

   This game is probably not something anybody over 10 would play, but when I was younger, it was rather entertaining. You simply go back and forth amongst everybody who is playing and start listing off compound words. If you repeat a previously used word, you're out. If you cannot think of a new word within a certain time frame that you can decide, you're out. After a while it gets a bit tricky remembering all the previously used words, as well as thinking of new words. All pronouns are prohibited.

4. Bingo:

   This isn't your traditional bingo game. This requires either a pre-designed board, or purchasing a few boards. The boards have different stop signs, stores, landmarks, and many other things you would expect to see while driving through a town or on the highway. You can play either black out or plain bingos. To make it more fun, make sure the boards you pick actually have items that you can expect to see. A few boards I've used before have a light house. That's basically a dead square unless you're near the coast.

5. Alphabet Memory Game:

   You may have played different versions of this; however some people may not have. What you do is before each turn you state, “I'm going on vacation, and I'm taking…” Each turn you get the next letter in line. So you may start of saying apples, and then your partner says baseballs, and the last person says cake. Every turn you would say, “I'm going on vacation, and I'm bring apples, baseballs, cake…” You lose once you forget one of the letters. When you get to "Z" and you still haven't determined a winner, try going through again going "A" through "Z", and then start over starting each turn with the next letter of the second alphabet.

These games are not really meant for the teenage crowd as I realize that you would much prefer listening to your Ipod or playing a PSP. This was meant to provide some free, unique game ideas that anybody could provide to entertain each other with on those long, painstaking drives across America. Any other games you have played that you suggest that would fit it with this, leave a comment describing it.

Despite the fact that Disney World was always a favorite destination for my family growing up, it became obvious to me that “the happiest place on earth” was, in fact, no place for children. I vowed never to bring my own kids until they were at least ten years old and well above the age of toddler-hood tantrums. But when my wife and I found ourselves visiting family in Orlando this summer we decided to brave the prospective melodrama and take our three-year-old, Allison to the Mouse House for a day of… fun? The decision was made easier by the fact that we had Disney-employed relatives who got us in for free. So even if Allison cried the entire time and we left after only an hour, at least we could still justify buying that 40-inch plasma screen with 1080i capabilities when we got home.

We hit a number of the Magic Kingdom's usual haunts-rides, parades, character greetings-but because we hadn't invested any money into the day, we felt no compulsion to hit all of them. If a line was longer than thirty minutes, we skipped it. If a ride looked at all scary, we avoided it. When the afternoon got hot, we spent a cool and refreshing hour circling the Magic Kingdom on the lineless Disney World Railroad. When Allison fell asleep during Pirates of the Caribbean, we didn't wake her. When it became obvious she was having more fun running through the S.S. Miss Daisy water playground, we didn't pressure her to finish up. And when she clung to our leg at the sight of Winnie the Pooh in the flesh, we didn't force her to pose for nightmare-inducing photos. Freed from that burden of “getting our money's worth” the three of us had a truly magical day indeed. The only tears that were shed happened when some kid on the Miss Daisy accidentally squirted water in Allison's eye.

I had an epiphany that day: the only way for toddlers and their parents to truly enjoy a visit to Disney World is to get in for free. Of course when I suggested this to a bedraggled-looking father of triplets on the monorail that night, he spilled his ten-dollar soda in my lap. It's no secret that a day at Disney World is not an inexpensive undertaking for the average non-Disney-employed family. With ticket prices running as high as seventy dollars per person, it's not until you start committing to a seven-day pass that the daily rates start getting somewhat reasonable. And as we stated earlier, when you have that much cash invested in something, the need to “get your money's worth” becomes all-consuming and can often lead to pushing your toddler far past his prudent threshold of whimsical fun.

As hard a pill as this is to swallow, the fact is nobody should bring their toddler through the gates of Disney World if they can't immediately ignore how much money they spent to get in. Whatever the number, you must forget the dollar sign in front of it and force yourself to focus only on the wide-eyed wonder in your child's eyes. Even more important though is to forget those dollar signs when wonder is replaced by some other less favorable emotion, namely:

Fear

Even if you waited in line for ninety minutes to ride the Flying Dumbos, force yourself not to tally up the dollars wasted when, at the last second, your toddler announces he's too scared to go on. Same thing with character greetings. It's always better, and probably cuter, to snap a picture of your scared-but-smiling youngster waving to Mickey from a safe distance than screaming bloody murder in the arms of a six-foot rat.

Stress

Between loud parades, spinning teacups, and yo-ho'ing pirates, over-stimulation is pretty much a given for a toddler at Disney World. When you sense that yours is nearing the point of fracture, take a little time for some less in-your-face entertainment. Don't get into the “we could be doing this at home for free” mentality if Junior wants to read books for a while in the gift shop. Several of the parks have movie theaters with no lines showing classic Disney cartoons. Sit in the air conditioning for an hour and relax as a family. A little time to decompress will give everyone the extra energy and good humor keep going.

Exhaustion

No two ways about it, your toddler will need a nap at some point during the day. If you're staying at one of the Disney resorts head back to the room during the hottest part of the day. If leaving the park and returning simply isn't feasible, go on “It's a Small World After All” right around naptime. Your little one will be asleep before the boat leaves Sweden. Use the downtime for some shopping, or simply take a rest in the shade yourself. If you're vacationing with other couples, trade off babysitting duties so you can all go on Space Mountain and a few other “grownup” rides.

I know this is easy advice to shell out from a guy who never paid a cent for his own day at Disney. But that doesn't negate its truth. The fact is, while Disney World (in my opinion) is best experienced by older children, it still can be, and often is, an enjoyable place for toddlers. Then again, so is the motel pool, which is free. The trick is kissing that hi-def plasma goodbye and approaching your day at Disney as though you actually had gotten in for free. Only then can you allow yourself to have easygoing fun without dragging your toddler past the point of tears. I know it's easier said than done, but believe me, if I can do it, you can do it… please don't throw your soda at me.

1. Hotel

   The most important tip for both children, and parents to enjoy a trip, is the Hotel. For the kids, pools mean more than anything. The bigger the pool, the better the stay. Parents as well should find a hotel that fits there needs (ex. Spa, Restaurant, etc.)

2. Activities

   Believe it or not, kids do not enjoy going on a 5 hour bird watching tour. In order to let your kids enjoy the trip the most, include some fun adventures for them. (ex. Riding horse up a mountain, surfing lessons, waterskiing, and more)

3. Food

   Exotic does not mean better. Your children will not enjoying eating sushi and lamb for every meal on vacation. Let them enjoy the basic burger and fries every once and a while.

4. Location

   Pick something you know your children will like. If you notice they like bugs, plants, and other wildlife things, take them camping. If your child loves a game such as "Rollercoaster Tycoon" take them to Disney World. If your child loves surfing, take them to the beach. Fit your Childs wants, and the trip will be more important for the entire family.

5. Have Fun

   And probably most important, have fun. A parent yelling at a kid the entire trip for whatever he might have done can kill the entire trip. A vacation is a time to enjoy each other's company and strengthen as a family unit. So do the most you can do to have fun.

I hope these tips have helped you, and enjoy your next family vacation

Does this sound like your family trip? If so, here are a few solutions to turn your bored and fighting children into entertained and peaceful little blessings.

Proper Planning

During the initial planning, be sure to consider the length of time you will be on the road and allot for frequent stops. Anyone locked up in a closed space is bound to become grouchy, so route your trip (if possible) to pass scenic resting areas or public rest stops.

Activities

There are many activities to do while taking a long road trip. If room permits, allow each family member to bring one backpack of their favorite toys, books, or video games. This will ensure that they will have a sufficient way of occupying a majority of their time.

If space is a problem, consider traveling games such as, the “License Plate” game, where each person spells out their entire name. On the other hand, perhaps, counting a particular color of vehicle (this is especially entertaining for younger children) and rewarding the winning child with a treat at the end of the trip.

Food

Another way to make traveling fun is by scheduling a special place to stop for lunch along the way. Ideas to consider are favorite restaurants, picnics at a national park, touristy orchards or historical landmarks. This will add new excitement to what would usually be a dull trip.

Mobile Electronics

Today's electronic age offers many solutions for traveling. DVD players offer a peaceful and fun solution for all ages of passengers in the rear seats. Hand-held video games allow for individual entertainment. With the wireless modem dominating the world of communication, bring along the mobile laptop to stay connected to the online world.

Finally, you look at the speedometer and see that the last few miles remain of your road trip; you look in the rear-view mirror and joyously find smiles and laughter in the eyes of your loving children. With a sigh, you continue driving, knowing that the vacation began only 300 miles ago.