National Sports Bar Chains

May 18, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

With spring’s collegiate and pro sports underway and summer’s not far behind, many a road warrior is thinking about the limits of their portable devices and apps. After all, some games just demand the big screen, right? Enter the sports bar…

Over the next few months, we’ll profile sports bars across the country that you might want to check out for their specific features (atmosphere, food choices, celebrity spotting, etc.). But, for starters (we feel your need, fellow fans), we’ll review some national chain sports bars so that you have a good chance of finding one, no matter where your travels take you.

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar

One favorite with locations across the country is Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, where you can be sure to score good viewing, food and drink. While folks do rave about the wings—offered with a choice of 14 barbecue sauce flavors ranging from Jammin’ Jalapeno to Thai Curry—it’s the sports viewing itself that gets top billing here. Sure, every sports bar has multiple screens, but every Wild Wings location has literally dozens of flat screens and projector screens plus surround sound.

Champps

Champps,found in theEast, the Northern Plains, Texas and Colorado, takes a similar approach. The owners built their chain around the philosophy that bigger is better—from burgers to TV’s, party atmosphere (“bring a DJ and have a party every night”!) to “decadent desserts” and rotisseries. The chain prides itself on not being “your average sports bar,” especially in terms of its food and their “slightly irreverent attitude.”

Dave and Buster’s

Another sports bar chain you can find all over the country is Dave and Buster’s. The menu is filled with standards like Philly cheese steak sandwiches, pizza, burgers, steaks, salads and pasta, and the full bar serve beers, wines, and their signature TNTea in a souvenir glass. But what fans really love are the games—and we don’t just mean on the many big screen TV’s. Every Dave and Buster’s is filled with arcade games (old-time Pac-Man to Nascar), plus classics like pool tables, skeeball and shuffleboard. Check out their Eat-and-Play combo where you get a meal and a game card at reduced price.

Smokey Bones BBQ & Fire Grill

Located in the East and Midwest, Smokey Bones BBQ & Fire Grill is a good choice if you’re traveling with folks who aren’t as avid sports fans as yourself. You’ll find sports on the big screens for you and, despite its name, food to please those looking for more than just sports pub grub, such as an Oregon Pear and Spinach Salad and blackened grouper (selections do vary by location). The full bar offers some respectable California vintages and a beer list that includes a few IPAs and microbrews.

Beef O’Brady’s

Soccer moms and t-ball dads don’t have to give up catching games on the big screens during vacations because there are also family-oriented sports bars—one such is Beef O'Brady's, with well over 200 locations spread throughout more than 20 states. The reasonably-priced food is basic sports bar fare—burgers and other sandwiches, wings, wraps, etc., plus salads, with kid-sized (and seasoned) selections, too.

BJ’s Brewhouse

Another sports bar chain, BJ’s Brewhouse, with its multiple screens for game viewing and its own “fine handcrafted beer,” is not only a treat for adults, but it is also a dedicated kid-friendly place. Their website even has a “kidslink” with trivia and games.

We go to chains for their predictability, right? Maybe that seems dull, but for some of us, it’s important to know that no matter where we are, we can walk into an establishment and be guaranteed our favorite Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap, or that exact same amazing plate of shoestring onion rings, or that there will always be one big screen tuned to international soccer.

Nature Guides for Folks on the Move

April 7, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

It’s a bird...it’s a plane...it’s a… Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk)! Yes, you, too, can impress your friends, dazzle your kids, or just plain add to your appreciation of new places by being able to identify just what you’re seeing. No longer do you need to lug around a collection of heavy nature guides in order to have detailed descriptions and full-color photos at your fingertips. Below are some producers of nature guides with alternative ideas.

Audubon Society
Producer of nature guides since 1934, Audubon Society now offers online versions covering thousands of North American plants and creatures. Use their easy-access homepage to browse for free on your computer by topic (e.g., shells, wildflowers, birds, mammals, mushrooms) or search for specific species by their common names or their scientific designations (e.g., gray catbird or Dumetella carolinensis). In case you might want to print specific pages to carry with you, guides can also be downloaded. For in-the-field sightings, you can buy mobile apps. Especially useful is the advanced search tool, which allows you to narrow down what you’ve seen—whether tree, fish, or shell—by appearance (shape, colors, size), habitat and location, as well as other subject-specific features, such as wing shapes and songs for birds. You can also download guides for specific regions, such as “The Ultimate Florida Nature Guide.” Apps are available for iPhones, iPads, iPods, and (though with more limited offerings) devices running Android. Cost per app ranges from $10 to $15, with a multi-subject app (birds, mammals, wildflowers, and trees) costing about $30.

eNature
Another very popular guide series is produced by eNature, for both laptop and mobile devices, though the mobile apps are limited. Perhaps their biggest plus is that all eGuide content online is free. As their website notes, you can find wildlife information covering close to 6,000 species, including a couple of categories not presently offered in Audubon’s mobile apps: sky (stars, planets) and tracks, as well as guides to wildlife in 50 of the National Parks. The basic search process on this site is fairly similar to that on the Audubon site, but you can also do a what’s-in-my-neighborhood search simply by entering your zip code. Also of interest, especially to those with children, are the games, contests and flashcards on the site. Mobile apps are available only for the National Park guides and Chesapeake Bay, and only for iPhones and iPods.

Peterson
For bird watching in particular, Peterson is the big name, and it too has moved into the mobile guide field. Newly launched in January 2011 is the iPhone and iPad app, Peterson Birds of North America. This app not only provides the kind of in-depth information and identification system for which the hard-copy Peterson guides are renowned, but it also includes such features as a birder’s notebook, which allows you to record (and identify now or later) what you’ve seen and where.

National Geographic
National Geographic, another highly respected name in nature study, has its own birding app, Handheld Birds (now out in version 2.0 for around $15 for iPhone and iPod Touch). Designed to be super user friendly, it has fully-interactive referencing, and it connects you with hundreds of range maps for different species, plus over 1,600 bird images and almost four hours worth of birdsongs to playback as part of your identification process (or just for listening enjoyment).

Gone are the days of having to schlep along a hefty field guide on your walks. No longer do you need to pass a field of gorgeous wildflowers and have no idea what they are. Now, with a laptop or mobile device, you can identify them on the spot. Or just snap a few pictures with your trusty phone. Then, a few hours later, as you relax in your hotel room and begin the ID game at your leisure.

Wish I'd Brought... 10 items to keep in your carry-on bag, Part 1

November 22, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Part of the fun of a trip is the planning, but (a) things don’t always go as planned, and (b) some trips don't allow much time for preplanning. To cover both situations, here’s a list of ten easily-stowed but life-saving (or at least sanity-saving) must-haves to keep stashed in your carry-on.

1) Money. What almost a hundred years ago they called “mad money” (not to be confused with the investment show of the same name on CNBC) (nor the 2008 film), this is your emergency fund, I-didn’t-have-time-to-run-by-the-ATM stash. We suggest at least five ones and a ten (add a twenty if you’re flush)—enough to tip a skycap, buy a sandwich at the airport, pay a few turnpike tolls. And if you don’t mind a little extra weight, a roll of quarters ($10) is handy to have on hand for vending machines and laundry facilities.

2) A list of vital information and numbers including such things as prescription medications, doctors (with phone numbers), credit card emergency numbers, health insurance ID number and phone number. It’s also a good idea to have the list laminated since that spilled in-flight drink can really mess it up.

3) Just so that you can read the list, tuck it into the bag with your last pair of glasses—yes, the ones you can’t imagine how you ever thought were flattering. That way you have a backup emergency pair just in case. With them add a copy of your current vision correction prescription for eyeglasses and/or contact lenses (also laminated). If you have a prescription (not more than 12 months old), many shops can fit you out with replacement glasses or lenses within hours. LensCrafters is a good choice if one’s nearby since with their 90-day unconditional guarantee, if your quick replacement selection was all-too quickly selected, you can always exchange for a new pair.

4) Food. Who hasn’t had the experience of flight delays resulting in an arrival minutes before you’re due at a meeting or need to pick up your tickets to that long-awaited concert, with no time to grab a meal? Here’s where that Trader Joe’s Simply Almonds, Cashews & Cranberries Trek Mix, Kashi granola bar or GNC Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams packet you stashed away gives you the boost you need to keep on truckin’. Try to choose something high energy but healthy since you’re running on empty when you go to your emergency rations. And be sure to watch expiration dates—the healthiest foods don’t have a super-long shelf life.

5) And speaking of delays, you can only pace the airport gate to gate so many times. Having games and reading materials on your laptop or smart phone is a given for most seasoned travelers, but reception unfortunately isn’t. Keep some technology-free entertainment—a deck of cards, crossword puzzle book (and pen/pencil), small paperback novel you love to reread—among your emergency rations, so you always have a fall-back.

Okay, that’s the first five tuck-them-away travel musts. Now you’re sure to be solvent, safe, fed and entertained no matter what delays you face. Stay tuned for the next five.

Traveling with Junior Road Warriors

November 19, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Some children seem born adventurers. But even the most eager travelers sometimes feel thrown out of their comfort zones, and some ordinarily happy children do struggle with change. With young road-warriors-in-training, making the experience smooth and fun (for everyone) may call for some ingenuity and planning. The key? Blending the old and the new.

Packing
Get each child their own small bag or backpack—either one specially selected for travel or, if familiarity is more important, one they already carry to daycare or school. Make sure that they get to help fill it with things important to them. You can even add something to it each night you’re traveling (a special snack, a small book or toy), so every day begins with the message that travel and surprise go together—and that travel is something to look forward to.

Entertainment
There are loads of books and websites (including some of our previous posts) filled with ideas for staying entertained while on the road. If you have a child who gets motion sickness, play look-out-the-window games—not anything like car bingo that requires reading or looking down. Sing-a-longs are also a good distraction for children who struggle with carsickness.

For hotels, airports, some planes and even some vehicles if you have Wi-Fi in the car, add to your laptop toolbar a few kids’ sites with videos and games featuring favorite characters (the more adventurous the better). Another good choice is a site that celebrates travel and adventure like National Geographic Kids with their new virtual playground Animal Jam. And, of course, smartphones have many free and inexpensive entertainment apps like Pocket Zoo aimed at young audiences, though it’s worth remembering that many pediatricians express concern about young children’s intense engagement with cell phones.

At the hotel
Staying in a hotel room, like those in Extended Stay Hotels, that have a full kitchen can help with the “everything is too strange” blues. If possible, take along a few specific-brand food favorites—peanut butter, mayo, a box of bunny-shaped mac-n-cheese, whatever the old reliable staples are in the child’s familiar culinary world. No matter how much another brand (even the same brand but with a different name or box) looks and tastes the same to you, to a tired child trying to adapt during a trip, different is different.

Easy access at the hotel to laundry facilities is also a major plus when traveling with kids who often simply have to have that Handy Manny shirt or the Dora the Explorer pj’s. And heaven forbid a spot of carsickness puts the blankie out of commission!

Throughout the trip, maintain some of the child’s customary routines and rituals. Beginning weeks before a major trip, you can even begin new ones or adapt old ones so that they can be repeated on the trip—little things like the order in which pj’s go on, teeth are brushed, story and snuggle time occur. Bring along favorite bedtime stories, CDs, and DVDs (which you can play in transit if you have a portable DVD player). Bedtime can be especially challenging in strange surroundings, so it’s ideal to bring a child’s own pillow and nightlight, especially the one from home, so the light cast is exactly the same. Giving a child their own tiny flashlight can also be a confidence booster (and fun to play with).

And finally, celebrate a child’s travel achievements with some kind of badge of honor they can proudly display, like rub on (and wash off) temporary tattoos of favorite characters or symbols. Easy to tuck into your bag, these visible reminders give your junior road warrior incentive to rise to the challenge and embrace the joys of travel—trying a new food, taking a turn sitting in the middle seat instead of at the window, entertaining a younger sibling or only once asking, “Are we there yet?”

Travel Tune Trivia Game

November 15, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A quick Internet search will turn up lists of “best travel songs” by everyone and his brother, sister and long-lost cousin. But we’ve got something more specific in mind: a travel tune trivia game. Like, what are the best R & B tunes about a hotel? Classic rock numbers about air travel? Songs about specific states? Songs about modes of transportation? There are thousands of different themes. To get you started, we’ve assembled some categories—with a few contributions—just about guaranteed to start up conversations the next time you’re driving on cruise-control through the Mohave Desert or stuck in O’Hare nursing a beer at Wolfgang Puck’s.

DESTINATIONS:
States: James Taylor’s “Carolina on My Mind” and the Mamas & Papas’ “California Dreamin’.”
Cities: “NY, NY” by Frank Sinatra and “Ooh, Las Vegas” by Emmy Lou Harris. And here’s a two-fer: Tish Hinojosa “Taos to Tennessee.”
Geographic features and tourist sites: John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High.” And for a really long trip, how about the whole country? Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” and “I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash.
Lodging: “Hotel California” by the Eagles.

TRAVEL MODE:
Car: Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” and Chuck Berry’s “Riding Around In My Automobile.”
Airplane: “The Letter” by Joe Cocker and “Jet Airliner” by Steve Miller Band.
Boat: Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary” and “It’s Been a Lovely Cruise” by Jimmy Buffet. And we think the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” can count.
Train:No contest. Has to be Arlo Guthrie’s “City of New Orleans” (which Johnny Cash named “the best train song” he’d ever heard). And here’s a travel mode three-fer: Joni Mitchell’s “Trains and Boats and Planes.”

TRAVEL MODE "TRAIN" BY GENRE:
Classic Rock: “Big Railroad Blues” by Grateful Dead.
Pop: “Last Train to Clarksville” by The Monkees.
Motown: “Midnight Train to Georgia”by Gladys Knight & the Pips (two-fer—state & genre)
Country: “Life’s Railway to Heaven” by Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson.
Blues and jazz: John Coltrane’s “Blue Train.”
Alternative: John Mayer’s “Stop This Train.”
Folk: “500 Miles” by Peter, Paul & Mary (add PPM’s “Leavin’ on a Jet Plane” and you have another category: multiple travel songs by the same group/singer!)
Kids: “Conjunction Junction” from Schoolhouse Rock!

DECADE:
40’s - “Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe” by Judy Garland
50’s - “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley
60’s - “Mustang Sally” by Wilson Pickett
70’s - “Ramblin’ Man” by the Allman Brothers
80’s - “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen
90’s - “Please Come to Boston” by Jackopierce

Get the picture? Even writing about it can be addictive. You can play this travel tune trivia game alone, while in transit with a coworker, or while trapped in the car during your next family vacation. If you want to add a competitive edge to it, invent a point system: 1 point for just the title, 2 points for title and band/singer and 5 bonus points if for the songwriter. When everyone has to pass, the last person who had an entry is the winner. If the game is to continue, that person gets to name the next category. And when someone misses, well, you can pick the penalty he or she must pay.

Games for the Road

August 25, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Lots of us loves a good road trip. Some people jump in their cars and drive a few hours to reach a favorite getaway. Others load up their minivans or Winnebago campers to head out for a long quest of sightseeing. The freedom to move about, to enjoy adventure and to relish the company of friends and family are all motivations in taking to the open road, and they are all quintessential themes of the American Dream. While not all road trips are created equally, they are part of a tradition that is as American as apple pie.

Today, traveling the open road has never been easier. With portable DVD players, iPods, and TomTom GPS systems, parents seldom hear the old question, “Are we there yet?” Modern gadgets have made long-distance travel much easier than it was twenty years ago. Still, undertaking a road trip should also incorporate fun that does not always require a power source.

If you are planning a road trip for your family, pack some games that will allow your children to have a complete experience. And there’s nothing that achieves this goal more than a board game or two. If you are wondering about what you should pack, the following three brands offer the best for car travel. Kids of all ages will love these games, no matter what road you take!

Of course, any board game used in the car should meet two key requirements. First, it must have some magnetic components that prevent pieces from getting lost in the car. Second, a game should be small enough for road travel

Zobmondo has one of the best travel games for the entire family. “Would You Rather?” is a game where players answer a question like: “Would you rather have four thumbs or five index fingers?” The answers are often hilarious, and it creates a great way for the whole family to bond. Travelers can purchase this pocket-sized game from Amazon.com for less than $12.

Go Games, made by Magnetic Poetry, offers both convenience and fun for families taking to the road. From Go Hangman to Go Checkers, kids and adults will enjoy any of these great games. Most significantly, all of them have magnetic pieces, so the chances of your children losing essential components are slim! These games all cost less than $10 and are available for purchase on the company’s site. You can also purchase them new on Amazon for around the same price. If you want to save a few dollars, though, consider searching for the gently used versions on Amazon.

Remember the days of sitting in the backseat and calling out license plates from different states? Now, your kids can enjoy the same thing with the U.S.A. License Plate Game by Melissa and Doug, a popular brand for the youngsters. While Melissa and Doug also sells other educational games and toys, the license plate game allows your children to plot your trip’s course and to match cars’ plates with their home states. Running around $19.99 on the company’s site, the game can also be purchased from Amazon for about $14 (not including shipping and handling).

All of these brands offer something for the entire family. No matter what brand you choose to take on your wanderings, your family will benefit from the experience of playing good old fashioned board games.

Enjoy Your Next Layover

May 21, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Let’s face it: when admiring an exquisite piece of art or enjoying a pedicure, we don’t think of the airports as the venue for such activities. But more and more airports are offering the type of services and amenities that take the stress out of airline travel. Catching a redeye? Why not first play a round of golf at the championship course just down the parkway? Getting ready for a stressful meeting with the tough East Coast branchers? Enjoy a backrub at one of the full-service spas and massage lounges popping up at many major airports. Whether you’ve got an eight-hour layover or forty-five minutes before your initial flight, here is a list of things you can do to not just kill time but actually enjoy it while waiting for your plane to board.

Lots of time

Golf. That’s right. Golf. While there are no major U.S. airports that offer on-site golfing (for international travelers, check out the Nine Eagles course at Hong Kong International), there are several just a short cab or shuttle ride from premiere courses. In particular, Dallas-Fort Worth is just fifteen minutes driving distance from Bear Creek Golf Club, a reasonably priced, wonderful facility with two courses to choose from. Equipment rentals are not exactly cheap, but for those of us in need of a swing fix, it’s a small price to pay to get out onto the greens before a flight.

Moderate amounts of time

Pamper yourself. With all the airports that now offer full service spas, you’d think a massage is some kind of legal drug. Well, they are when you think of all the endorphins that are released. JFK airport has a location for the upscale Oasis Day Spa while Vancouver International (voted best airport in North America) has, count ‘em, three outlets for trendy Absolute Spa.

Pump iron. Many major airports have health clubs or have hotels attached that allow travelers to use their fitness and health facilities for a nominal fee. Use this handy airport gym finder or check the list of over 700 Extended Stay Hotels for a convenient airport-attached workout facility.

Short Amounts of time

See an art exhibit inside the airport. Almost every major airport has permanent or rotating collections of art. Most, like Philadelphia International, list the current exhibitions on their websites.

Watch a movie. By now, many of us travel with laptops. Sure, you can bring a DVD or two from home or stream in Netflix, but who wants to pay $12.99 for WiFi access (unless you’re at one of those few, exalted landing strips that offer it free. Indianapolis International comes to mind). Never fear, Redbox is here. Most major airports are now offering these popular self-serve kiosks. Rent in Boston and return your movie in San Francisco a week later. It’s that easy.

Are We There Yet?

July 20, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

It’s summer and that means it’s time for that great old American tradition, the family vacation.  Whether you are going across the state or half way across the nation, traveling in a car with children means that you had better be prepared. 

As experienced parents will attest, a child that is occupied and having fun is a happy child, and that is good news for parents.  This is true whether you are in the car or after you’ve arrived, and are getting situated in your hotel room. 

Fortunately for Road Warrior, a recent Fox News article brought new life to some old standby games.  The license plate game can be made more fun and educational with just a few changes.  For instance, have everyone look for the letters of the alphabet in order.  Each time a letter is called out, that person must then say a word beginning with that letter.  Ramp up the competition by limiting the words to a particular type, like vegetables or cities. 

Car travel is a great way to learn United States geography.  Give each person a blank map of the country.  About.com has a printable map available here.  Tell children to look for license plates from each of the fifty states.  Once they see a plate, ask them to find and color that state on the map.  Washable markers are, of course, recommended!

Musical families might try their own version of “Name That Tune” by using the scan function of the car radio.  Set the radio on FM, press scan and give points for the first to identify the song, the performer and the songwriter.  For more great road trip ideas, visit Momsminivan.com. 

Ben Franklin told us to be “early to bed and early to rise.”  This is good advice for anyone traveling with children.  By starting your trip early, you arrive at your next Extended Stay Hotels location early enough to have some wind-down time, and perhaps enjoy the pool.  If you prefer a hotel with a pool, Extended Stay Hotels offers several locations with a poolside seat waiting for you. 

Picking one of the over 700 Extended Stay Hotels for your road trip is a great idea for many reasons.  Thanks to the full kitchen, feeding hungry children is never a problem.  The extra space in each studio means everyone has room to roam. And as for on-premise laundry facilities, if you are a parent, you know that is a must have on any car trip. 

Road Warrior wishes you and your family a fabulous highway adventure filled with enough fun activities that, by the time the question “are we there yet” comes, you have arrived.