Survive Family Travel: Reviewing The Failures
Travel fails happen to the best of us, and I'm not even one of the best.
Here is what didn't work during an 8-day trip to Naples, FL last week and how we made it all better.
Our first day in Naples, I went looking for a place to see ships - since it is a bay/harbor, I thought there might be some sort of information booth or something where we could learn about shipping/boating/water-based industry in the area and grab an ice cream cone for the kids.
No. There is no place like this that I was able to find. A kind woman at a yacht club in town suggested that I stop at the Chamber of Commerce and get some info.
Naples 1, Mom 0.
Before I packed everyone into the van, I noticed the Naples Train Depot across the street. I figured this would be a good place to stretch their legs and see some history and possibly a train.
This was a huge win and great bounce-back from a somewhat disheartening search for nature and/or history-based information by the water.
Naples 1, Mom 1.
They had all sorts of old historical stuff there, including some old cars, signs, place-settings, history about the area, and a real-life caboose out behind the building.
The caboose was open to the public and super interesting for me and the kids.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the train caboose is an idea that was born in the USA and is seen almost nowhere else in the world?
Naples Train Depot - you are awesome. And free. And I owe you one. I'm disappointed we weren't able to ride the mini-train around the grounds. Next time. Now just plop a few Thomas the Train sets on toddler-sized tables and you'll be busier than Disney World.
We stopped at the Chamber of Commerce, which is a room inside a building filled with many expensive-looking law offices. It was totally a bust and dumb to drag the kids through there.
Naples 2, Mom 1.
We stopped at Chipotle for lunch.
Naples 2, Mom 2.
Beach Pictures:
I had planned to take family portraits on the beach at sunset again but realized that I was not up to the task of finding parking and getting the kids ready and fighting traffic ... etc...
Naples 3, Mom 2.
So we stopped at an adorably Mediterranean-looking section of Naples at 8am instead. No traffic, easy free parking, no people, Piazza Navona-esque fountains with naked Poseidon that the kids loved laughing at = perfection.
Naples 3, Mom 3.
I had planned on beach photos and therefore didn't plan for footwear. But... I've decided I don't care. You win, you lose, you don't care anymore.
Orange Grove: We had planned on having a tour of an orange grove and had hoped to learn how the oranges are collected, sorted, washed and packaged. I planned this as best as I could. I contacted the grove months ago and even called an hour before arriving to ensure we would get to see the oranges being processed. But when we got there, they had just finished for the day.
......
Even though I had literally just confirmed 45 min beforehand that they were still going to be working in an hour.
Naples 4, Mom 3.
I bought them fresh orange ice cream.
Naples 4, Mom 4.
In conclusion, give the kids food and they'll forgive pretty much any disaster.