My girls loved learning to read through Letterland. Their school is all about the Letterland characters. The theme park in our back yard is helping connect children with Letterland in person!
Having fun while learning is as easy as A-B-C when Tweetsie Railroad brings the alphabet to life with Letterland©, May 6, 7, 8, 13 and 14. This is the eighth season Tweetsie and the world renowned reading program have teamed up to celebrate students¹ learning achievements by transforming the park into a magical world where there is more to the alphabet than just letters on a page.
The young and young at heart will be delighted with this fanciful world filled with characters like
Clever Cat, Yellow Yo-Yo Man, Eddy Elephant, Harry Hat Man, Kicking King and Red Robot, just to name a few. With these playful ³letters,² children will experience the building blocks of reading in a fun and visual manner, which is sure to stick with them long after their trip to Tweetsie is over. To enhance the Letterland experience even more, visitors can also ride on Firefighter Fred¹s Ferris Wheel or Talking Tess¹s Train, explore Zig Zag Zebra¹s Zoo and much more!
Letterland has long been known for its successful child-friendly multi-sensory phonics program. In 2007, local reading specialist Kathy Oliver helped bring the program to Tweetsie for the first time. For the past seven years, guests have been able to celebrate North Carolina¹s literary achievements at the state¹s oldest theme park. Last year, school children from 19 North Carolina counties were represented at Letterland, as well as a school in Johnson County, Tennessee, marking the first time a school from the Volunteer State has participated.
And the learning doesn¹t stop there: as part of the park¹s continued dedication to enriching education in a fun and engaging way, Tweetsie visitors can also take part in the Learning Express every Friday starting April 18 through May 23, and September 5 through October 24. The Learning Express provides a full day of fun at Tweetsie Railroad, including a ride on the Learning Express Train. This special ride makes history, math and science fun and exciting. Tweetsie also offers curriculum guides at Tweetsie.com to help parents and teachers further increase the educational value of the Letterland and Learning Express experiences.
Calling all North Carolina Friends! The most economical way to enjoy Tweetsie is to invest in a Golden Rail Season Pass. Why? Read further to see the answer.
Pass holders will enjoy a full season of adventure from Wild West train journeys, amusement rides, live entertainment and the animals in the Deer Park, as well as free admission to all special events throughout the season, free parking on July 4th and discounts at other North Carolina family attractions. Golden Rail Season Passes are now available at a special rate of $80 for adults and $55 for children ages 3 through 12. After April 27, rates increase to $90 for adults and $65 for children. Children 2 and under are admitted free.
Tweetsie will open its gates for its 57th season on April 11; the season will run through November 2. A 2014 Golden Rail Season Pass is the best and most economical way to experience all Tweetsie has to offer. This year¹s lineup of special events will include the return of many family favorites, like the July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza, Day Out With Thomas, SpongeBob SquarePants, K-9s in Flight Frisbee® Dogs and Tweetsie¹s Ghost Train® Halloween Festival. North Carolina¹s first theme park is also proud to announce two new additions to its entertainment lineup: four-time Grammy Award winner David Holt will treat guests to a one-day only solo performance in May; and the Cartoon Network¹s Scooby-Doo and Shaggy will greet guests for one special weekend in July.
The entire family is in for a great time all season long aboard Tweetsie Railroad¹s historic steam-powered locomotives. Explore Tweetsie¹s own Western town, tap your toes to live entertainment at the Tweetsie Palace, or take a turn on one of the many exciting rides. Journey high above the park via the chair lift to Miner¹s Mountain where you can pan for gold and meet the animals at the Deer Park Zoo.
Don¹t miss out this limited-time only pricing: visit Tweetsie.com to purchase and print season passes at home. Guests looking to renew last year¹s season pass without waiting in line for a new card can easily do so by visiting Tweetsie¹s website or calling 1-877-TWEETSIE.
A 2014 Golden Rail Season Pass includes:
· A full season of adventure from Wild West train rides, amusement rides, live entertainment and the Deer Park Habitat
· Free admission to all special events including Day Out With Thomas, the Ghost Train® Halloween Festival, SpongeBob Squarepants, Cool Summer Nights evenings (July 5, 12, 19 and 26), Railroad Heritage weekendŠand more!
· Free parking for the July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza, the High Country¹s most popular Independence Day celebration
Season Pass holders also receive discounts at other North Carolina family attractions including:
Biltmore Estate
Chimney Rock Park
Grandfather Mountain
Mast General Store
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Tanger Outlets in Blowing Rock
Tweetsie Railroad will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting April 11, including Memorial Day Monday, and seven days a week from May 30 through August 17. The park returns to the weekend schedule from August 18 through November 2, including Labor Day Monday. The 2014 season ends Sunday, November 2. The park¹s regular hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but will be open until 9:00 p.m. on July 4 for the Fireworks Extravaganza and July 5, 12, 19 and 26 for Cool Summer Nights. Daily admission to Tweetsie Railroad is $39 for adults and $26 for children ages 3 through 12. Children 2 and under are admitted free. The Ghost Train® Halloween Festival will take place Friday and Saturday nights September 26 through November 1 from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., with an admission price of $31 for adults and children. Tickets and Golden Rail Season Passes are available at Tweetsie.com.
Tweetsie Railroad is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains on U.S. Highway 321 between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. For more information about the 2014 season at Tweetsie Railroad, visit Tweetsie.com or call 877.TWEETSIE (877.893.3874). Find Tweetsie on Facebook or follow Tweetsie on Twitter @TweetsieRR.
It’s official. It is freezing in all 50 states. Thank goodness though we are reaching temperatures where we can actually enjoy Winter!
FamilyFun magazine has created a list of the best winter getaways in North America for families to explore!
The festival in my town actually made the list and I can agree, it is such a great family experience. We enjoy the winter fun every year.
Winterfest
Blowing Rock, NC
January 23-26
Family-friendly activities abound, including ski and snowboarding lessons, ice carving demos, hayrides, bonfires, kids’ games and crafts, and the Polar Plunge.
Let’s go from my beautiful mountains of North Carolina to the streets of Quebec, winter festivals offer a feast of frozen delights: snow sculptures, ice palaces, winter-and winterized-sports (think: snow golf and snowshoe softball), along with light shows, fireworks, torchlight parades, and seasonal treats like maple taffy on snow.
Saranac Lake Winter Carnival
Saranac Lake, NY
Jan. 31–Feb. 9
Try snowshoe racing or cross-country skiing; enjoy concerts, dances, and parades; and watch the fireworks over the awesome Ice Palace at this 117-year-old festival.
Lake George Winter Carnival
Lake George, NY
February weekends
This lakeside celebration features beach bonfires, ice-diving demos, hot-air balloon rides, a giant snow slide, kite flying, and chili and chowder cook-offs.
Stowe Winter Carnival
Stowe, VT
Jan. 18–Feb. 2
Vermont’s best-known ski town goes all out with snow volleyball and golf, youth hockey and snowboard half-pipe competitions, ski racing, fireworks, and a kids’ carnival.
Montréal en Lumière
Montreal, Quebec
Feb. 20–March 2
This sprawling urban festival features light shows, guest gourmet chefs, life-size board games, a Ferris wheel, and a massive sled slide plus music, theater, dance, and circus performances.
Carnaval de Québec
Quebec City, Quebec
Jan. 31–Feb. 16
The world’s largest winter carnival boasts sleigh rides, snow slides, nighttime parades, an extreme canoe race, an ice palace, and more.
Winterlude
Ottawa, Ontario
Jan. 31–Feb. 17
Skate through downtown on a frozen canal, then check out the illuminated ice sculptures, annual bed race, the hockey classic, and the world’s largest snow playground.
ottawafestivals.ca/events/
Saint Paul Winter Carnival
Saint Paul, MN
Jan. 23–Feb. 2
Go geocaching and thrill to fireworks, parades, hot-air balloon races, sled dog competitions, and the bouncing team’s aerial acrobatics.
Fur Rendezvous
Anchorage, AK
Feb. 21–March 2
Celebrate Alaska’s heritage with the Rondy World Champion Sled Dog Race, the Running of the Reindeer, the blanket toss, outhouse races, and the native arts market.
Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival
Steamboat Springs, CO
February 5-9
Watch ski jumping, cross-country obstacleracing, and the Dog Dash; compete in shovel and three-legged races; and cheer on the Lighted Man as he sets off fireworks down the slope.
Snowdown
Durango, CO
Jan. 29–Feb. 2
Activities all over town mark this annual winter blowout, including a parade, costume party, doggie Olympics, waiter/waitress race, and music.
snowdown.org
Whitefish Winter Carnival
Whitefish, MT
February 7-9
A lake plunge, torchlit parade, horse-towed skiing (ski joring), battle of the bands, and pie social are all part of this kid-friendly fest.
This is a favorite family tradition of ours each year. We are annual passholders and I hope we are able to get to Florida for Christmas. From the animal shows to the ice skating, it is a fabulous Christmas experience.
Waves of holiday spirit splash over you during SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration! With everything from Santa to Shamu®, SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration is where holiday memories are made forever. The celebration goes until December 31st!
Sights and sounds that you can enjoy are as follows:
Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas
Elmo’s Christmas Wish
O Wondrous Night
We have not been able to see this show and are so excited about this addition to the SeaWorld Christmas.
O Wondrous Night tells the greatest story never told, with more than 30 carols, based up on The Christmas Story and told through the eyes of a variety of live animals. Everyone will be entertained by this touching, light-hearted and glorious celebration featuring a host of angels, animals and th true glory of Christmas.
Click here to see a sneak peek of the show.
The Polar Express Experience
This is one of L’s favorite places to go as she knows she gets to go in and see the penguins and polar bears. You start the experience with a 3D thrill ride on the Polar Express. This movie has become a favorite to our family through the years. You are able to grab a cup of hot chocolate and see Santa Claus too!
Sea of Trees
Take a stroll across the bridge and enjoy a watery wonderland of Christmas trees. Christmas lights literally dance to holiday classics. Hug your family tight and just enjoy the wonderful Christmas Spirit.
Also, you can enjoy the snow that falls right before you get on the bridge too.
Shamu(r) Christmas Miracle
Winter Wonderland on Ice
Christmas comes to life on a stage of ice, jewels and light as skaters dazzle and elight in this showstopping, ice skating extravaganza. The other stars of the show are the towering fountains of water dancing on the lake and fireworks that light up the night sky after the last ice show of the evening. It truly is one of the best ways to end the night at the spectacular SeaWorld Christmas.
For more information, visit the SeaWorld Christmas page and plan out your fun family day.
