BAT's Passport
 | Been to 213 Attractions |
 | 193 Reviews |
 | 93 First to Review |
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 | 70 Helpful Votes |
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Send a ComplimentAbout Me & My Family
We are a busy family with 3 kids and we don't sit still. When we aren't running off to scouts, dance, sports, etc., we really enjoy spending time as a family. If we have a day we will try to find someplace local to explore. If we have a weekend we go a little further. Give us a week and we can really pack it in. We are always on the lookout for family friendly destinations (especially hotels which seem so hard to find!). Our vacations are not spent floating in the pool...they are spent exploring the area to its fullest!
Our Family's Travel Personality
adventurous, curious, energetic, easy_going
We Just Got Back From
Washington DC
Our Favorite Vacation Spot
Washington DC
A Place We'd Love To Visit
Yellowstone
Favorite Vacation Memory
My daughter is such a pip and thinks the hotel is the destination. If we do sightseeing along the way she just keeps asking "when are we going to get to the hotel?" She loves checking out our new "home away from home" and she LOVES the fact that she gets to share a room with someone!!
Worst Travel Moment With My Kids:
the car sick kid
Websites I Like:
Fun Places to Explore Science & Technology in PA with kids
Do your kids have a passion for science? Do you like to learn how things are made and work? Have a fascination with dinosaurs? Then these are some of the top places for you to visit.
One Allegheny Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Hands on Exploration Station perfect for kids of all ages
Fun programs such as summer camps & sleepovers
Omnimax Theater
reviewed on: August 04 2012
"Hands On Fun!"
The kids will love all the science center has to offer. There is so much for them to do and most of it is hands on and interactive. Be sure to check out the show times offered throughout the day. The planetarium offers many shows as well that are included with your admission. There is an Omnimax theater that requires an additional ticket purchase. During our visit, we were able to see a temporary exhibit called Guitars. This was a fun exhibit showcasing guitars from 3000 BC through the present, showed how they were made, and featured the worlds largest playable guitar.
Roboworld was one of our favorite exhibits. The kids loved interacting with the robots. We competed in a game of air hockey, controlled a robot, and learned a lot about them.
Another highlight was the miniature train display. It is quite large and shows off a lot of the local area.
Outside you can visit the USS Requiem, an above water submarine. The kids enjoyed exploring the submarine as we have never been aboard one before. (this can also be visited on its own)
Also included in your admission is SportsWorks. This is a fun place! Try rock climbing, playing with a giant version of the game Operation, ride the "air" bike, and so much more.
Disclosure: Our family was provided complimentary admission as part of a press tour. I was not required to express a particular point of view and all opinions are my own.
4400 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Comment:
reviewed on: August 04 2012
"Fun for the whole family"
We arrived late in the afternoon and only had a little over 2 hours to explore before closing so we pretty much stayed to the Natural History side of the museum. I was very impressed with how many hands on things they offer kids to keep them engaged and learning. One of the first exhibits is geology. The Stratavator is something I recommend stepping into when visiting geology exhibit. You will virtually descend thousands of feet below ground and learn facts at each stop on the way down. A fun way to get a look at what is going on beneath us. There are presentations at select times throughout the day and I learned from the gentleman presenting gems how to remove oil stains from clothing using talcum powder! My kids loved watching the paleontologist lab where they prepare fossils.
The Dinosaur exhibit is another big hit. You will find yourself surrounded by life size dinos of all shapes and sizes. Here, you will find the Bonehunters Quarry which is a hit with kids of all ages. Kids actually get to "dig" for fossils.
Base camp is also located on this floor and is full of hands on fun including a flashlight tour in a "hidden" hallway. There are exploration and learning stations throughout which we enjoyed stopping at.
The family gallery is another hands on exhibit where the kids can really immerse themselves. Whether they curl up in the corner on a beanbag chair with a book, examine xrays, or create their own collection for display, there is something kids of all ages will enjoy here.
The Discovery Room on the lower level was meant for kids. Here, everything is DO touch! There are live animals to observe, fossils to touch, and so much more. Be sure to save time for the kids to explore in here during your visit.
I highly recommend putting this on your list to visit when you are exploring Pittsburgh. Our entire family enjoyed it and the kids had fun while learning new things.
Disclosure: Our family received complimentary admission as part of a press tour of the area. All opinions are my own.
222 North 20th Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
-Kid Science Exhibit
- The kids will love the Giant Walk Through Heart!
-observatory
- visiting exhibits
- Fun programs such as summer camps and camp-ins
reviewed on: June 19 2012
"Hands-On Fun!"
My kids were captured as soon as they walked into their first exhibit and realized they could "play" with it! The exhibits are truely hands-on and the kids get to learn while they are interacting.My 3 enjoyed their journey through the famous giant heart, learning about electricity (they didn't even mind being shocked by Ben Franklin's Key), and they really loved the sports room where they got to surf, throw balls, kick a soccer ball and more.
Throughout the day there are additinonal programs and shows, many of which are included with your admission. There are "traveling" carts, where the kids can make paper, learn about the tesla coil, and more. My kids loved the CBS Weather Show where 2 of them were called up on stage to help with the demonstrations. Another fun spot was the observatory on the top floor. Even though the roof was closed due to predictions of storms, they had telescopes set up that we were able to use and the staff memeber was very knowlegeable and friendly. The planetarium is also included with admission and offers several shows throughout the day.
The IMAX Films and Franklin Theater, as well as special exhibitions, are all available at an additional fee.
The downsides of our visit were that many exhibits weren't working (although there was still plenty to do and this didn't slow our visit down in the least) and the cafeteria food was extremely expensive. If you can avoid eating in, avoid it.
My advice is to get there early. We arrived just after they opened and there was hardly anyone there. When we stopped for a lunch break the line was enormously long and took a long time just to get to the front of the line and purchase tickets.
Overall? We give it a 2 thumbs up. We spent a full day there and enjoyed every moment of it.
Disclosure: We were provided complimentary tickets for our visit. We were not asked to express a particular point of view and all opinions are my own.
Nineteenth Street and Ben Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1700 West Montgomery Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
400 College Avenue
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
222 Market Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Imaginative Exhibits including Kids Place, an area specially designed for 0-5 year olds.
16 Deike Building, Pollock Road;
State College, Pennsylvania
