Try these theme restaurants in Atlanta for an exciting dinner experience you may not expect
Dining with kids is an adventure. And one of the best ways to keep everyone happy and entertained when dining out is to hit up a out-of-the-box restaurant that practically guarantees a tabletop of happy plates (hint: here are some of our other favorite family restaurants tips). From brunch overlooking the world’s busiest airport to dinner inside a real train car—or perhaps pizza served by robots—we’ve got eight theme restaurants in Atlanta that are worth checking out. Find your favorite spots to make a memorable—in a good way—mealtime memory.
This Victory Brands restaurant in Decatur is best to visit when the sun is down to catch "all the tiki glow." There are plenty of neon colors, tropical flowers, and bobbling hula dolls during the day, though, so you won't be disappointed.
Insider Tip: If they've been good and let you drink your cocktail out of a giant bird of paradise vase in peace, reward them with an order of Tempur-Oreos for dessert. They're deep-fried Oreos with Nutella or vegan chocolate sauce.
Glaze your Instagram with a visit to Atlanta’s weirdest museum that combines selfies (or perhaps family photos) with donuts. ‘Hole In The Wall’ is not a full-service restaurant, but you can nosh on delicious donuts and sip tasty drinks while snapping selfies at donut-themed selfie stations.
All lords and ladies, regardless of size or stature, are guaranteed to have a blast cheering on their favorite knights in this dinner theater arena experience in Lawrenceville. From jousting to gallantry, the horses, knights, queens, kings, and of course—all the kids—guaranteed a night to remember.
Nope, not Trader Joe's. This particular Trader takes diners to poy paradise, with Polynesian-inspired decor, cuisine, and on occasion, entertainment. It's the home of the "original" Mai-Tai, so definitely add that to your order. This particular location in the downtown Hilton has been in operation since 1976, and this tiki bar is definitely high on wow factor for kids and parents, alike.
Located on railroad tracks in an old train car, and featuring three different rooms for Chinese, Sushi, and Hibachi, this Vinings staple is loco for kids interested in locomotives. Featuring all the traditional dishes you'd expect, try the hibachi for a little dinnertime entertainment (that doesn't involve an iPad).
This Mexican restaurant with a menu inspired by authentic street food and decor inspired by the celebrations of Dia de los Muertos. Whatever you do, don't miss the banana empanadas—fried pastries with sweet bananas, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and topped with whipped cream.
Located at the end of the south runways of the Peachtree-Dekalb Airport, this long-time staple of Atlanta dining will wow your wee air aficionados in a major way. With both indoor and outdoor patio dining, no seat is a bad seat for getting an eyeful of passenger planes taking off and landing at the airport. Decorated in a WWII-era aviation theme, the restaurant even has vintage planes on the property.
While they may be a little young to catch a show, your tiny dancers will love checking out the stage and vibe at lunch or early dinner at this downtown landmark. Filled with memorabilia, particularly of bands with roots in the South, the Hard Rock will satisfy their bellies with burgers and their heads with visions of becoming a rock star.
Lions and tigers and… cars? If seeing the zoo on foot doesn’t cut it for your animal-loving brood, there are plenty of immersive animal experiences that’ll give you the feeling of an authentic wildlife safari park from the comfort of your (or someone else’s) car. Whether you want to gaze at giraffes from a double-decker safari truck or see the wild from the comfort of your own front seat, here are the best safari park experiences in the U.S.
Safari West - Santa Rosa, CA
Safari West
While a three-hour tour through the Sonoma wine country usually conjures up visions of gorgeous grapes ripening on the vine, Safari West will have you rethinking those expectations. Here, you'll board a double-decker safari truck and log some serious face time with zebras, giraffes, water buffalo and any number of the other 800 animals that call this preserve home. Expect learning to happen, too. Safari West guides love actively engaging guests, promoting conservation and education efforts on their tours, as they expertly weave the open-air jeep in for a closer look. When tummies rumble, belly up to the Savannah Cafe that overlooks the park; the authentic food, beautiful scenery and grown-up grape juice from the region hit the spot after a long safari.
Wildest Extra: Want to make a weekend out of it? Spend the night in one of Safari West's 30 authentic African safari tents, with polished hardwood floors, en-suite bathrooms (with hot showers and real toilets), hand-hewn furniture, and ultra-plush linens atop comfortable beds.
The San Diego Wild Animal Park (a branch of the San Diego Zoo) has everything a zoo has to offer, with a plethora of ways to see it all. Rather than keeping animals in small cages, this place opts to let the animals roam free—and puts the people in various vehicles to go out and see them. Families can commune with exotic wildlife from golf carts, African trams, zip lines, behind-the-scenes truck tours, or, even in a hot air balloon for a spectacular bird’s eye view of it all. Add in a ropes course for adventurers as young as seven, and you could spend days taking it all in. But at the heart of this animal wonderland is a mission to save the critters of the world, with its researchers and activists leading conservation efforts in 45 countries, with 380 partners in its conservation work, five conservation field stations and 200 conservation scientists working in the field or the lab, according to this article.
Wildest Extra: Want to really wow your wildlife-loving kiddos? Opt for an overnight in an authentic safari tent. At the Wild Animal Park's "Roar and Snore" overnights, you'll get a nighttime tour of the zoo (with up-close animal encounters), then fall asleep to the sounds of lions' roars in the distance.
Gas up the family wagon and grab a bucket of tasty grains for the “locals” at the gate before taking off along the three-mile paved drive through this natural animal habitat. Expect a few delighted shrieks from the littles as ostriches, llamas and zebras poke their heads through the windows to say hello and help themselves to tasty treats. When you’re done with the drive, be sure to check out the Village Walk-Thru where the kidlets can spend some QT with potbellied pigs, chickens and goats and more. Let the good times roll!
Wildest Extra: For an added fee, you can feed giraffes from a special platform, get up close and personal with the penguins or feed and pet the rhinos—all while learning how zookeepers take care of the animals and how the Safari Park is helping the animals in the wild.
What’s not to love about a family-owned and operated animal park where it’s all about the beauty of the land and the animals that make their home there? Drive your car or hop on the bus to get a rolling tour of this bucolic oasis. Little rangers can be on the lookout for llamas, bison and ostriches, all of whom may cautiously approach the tiny outstretched hands looking to feed and interact with them. It’s a ring-side seat your sidekick won’t soon forget. Add in dinner at the Trailside Grill and you’ve got the whole day planned. The park opens in May and runs through October before closing for the winter.
Wildest Extra: Winter sleigh rides through the lower park make for a magical, snowy, family-friendly outing. Sleigh bells ring!
With a focus on preserving and encouraging the repopulation of native Northwest wildlife, this sanctuary, just 60 miles south of Seattle, is a surprisingly perfect place to be on a rainy day. In the true spirit of the Pacific Northwest, the bison, elk and bighorn sheep (and moose, if you can spot one) are a little less camera shy when it’s overcast and drizzling. The park's all-new "Wild Drive" premier tour lets you drive your own car through the Trek's Free-Roaming, where you'll cruise by herds of Roosevelt elk, bison, moose, caribou, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, swan and deer.
After that, stretch your legs on the Animal Walking Paths as you check out grizzlies, cougars and more. Kids will love the "Kids Trek," a nature-inspired playground with ropes, slides, sand, cabins and a massive “tree trunk" to climb. Up for a hike? Access to more than five miles of paved and primitive walking trails is included in admission.
Wildest Extra: Don't miss Eagle Passage, an immersive experience that allows visitors to see majestic bald eagles close up while giving the rescued birds—all of whom have some degree of long-term wing injury—a safe passage between habitat sections.
Drive your car on a three-mile gravel trail to see some of our country's most popular wild natives, including bison, black bears and wolves. When you're ready to stretch your legs, the winding walk-through, Fort Bearizona, will give you the perfect view of the park's resident jaguars, grizzly bears, and more. Craving cuddles? Creepy-crawly lovers can see bugs, spiders and nocturnal animals at the Mine Shaft Experience.
Wildest Extra: Want a peek at the resident bears... right now? Check out the park's Grizzly Cams!
Alpaca, bongos and camels are waiting to say hello to kids and their parents as they drive through the African Safari Wildlife Park. Cup in hand is the way they roll here. And when the drive comes to an end, be sure to check out the Walk-Thru Safari, where kidlets can come face to face with white alligators, ocelots and playful gibbons as they stroll along. In warmer months, the park brings out its giraffes for up-close encounters that let you feed these long-necked beauties a snack.
Note: The park is closed from Dec. through Apr. Check the online calendar for details.
Wildest Extra: Want to come face-to-tongue with a giraffe? Sign up for the 30-minute Giraffe Encounter, which lets you feed and mingle with the giraffes, Matata, Rudy, Poptart, and Harrison.
Be sure to slap your “Will Break for Bison” bumper sticker to the back of your ride before driving the gang through this open-air Safari park in Oregon. Families can get up close and personal with mammals, reptiles and birds as they check out the sights and feed a few of the residents in this 600-acre park. When your little animals get restless, take a break at Safari Village, a walkable area with trains, playgrounds and a petting zoo to keep kids busy and happy. As for conservation, Wildlife Safari’s staff works hard to protect animals both internationally and domestically. They’ve helped bring over 235 cheetah cubs into the world as part of their super successful cheetah breeding program. Hooray!
Wildest Extra: Want some wine with your wild? Be sure to get tickets for the park's "Sippin' Safari," which will honor the park's 50th anniversary on July 22 with live music, wine and beer tastings, and local food trucks.
Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park & Wildlife Safari - Ashland, NE
The winner of USA Today's Best Safari Park two years in a row, this Nebraska wildlife park (which is owned and operated by Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium) lets you enjoy a four-mile, drive-through experience showcasing North American wildlife. You'll see a menagerie of animals, including American elk, bison, waterfowl, raptors and white-tailed deer. At Wolf Canyon, guests can get out of their cars to gaze at grey wolves and American black bears. After the drive, take a hike to one of the park's overlooks to view the animals from above.
Note: Due to a current Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak in Nebraska, the American white pelicans in the Pelican Wetlands, the sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans in Crane Meadows and the chickens at the Hands-on Corral will not be on display until further notice. The Eagle Aviary will be closed, but the eagles are still viewable to the public. The whooping cranes will be off display.
Wildest Extra: For an extra $65 per person, you can book a Backstage Experience to see the animals and their keepers up close. Experiences include a Cheetah Conservation Experience, which gives visitors a backstage look at the state-of-the-art Cheetah Conservation Breeding Facility to see and learn how keepers care for the park's 20 cheetahs; and the Tiger Conservation Experience, in which visitors will get the chance to tour and meet the tigers at the Tiger Conservation Breeding Center.
A sprawling sister property of the award-winning Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the Wilds lets visitors get an unfettered glimpse of the animals who call this 10,000-acre park home. Here, it's the humans who go in the "cages" and the animals who get to roam free. To see the wildlife, visitors must board the park's open-air safari vehicles to see the resident rare and endangered animals roaming in their large, natural settings.
What else? Want something extra special? Select from a variety of specialty tours to soak in The Wilds’ stunning scenery. Whether you want to float the day away during a relaxing Fishing Safari on one of nearly 100 lakes; whoosh above it all on a Zipline Tour; saddle up on a Horseback Safari through the quiet prairies; snap some Insta-worthy shots during one of the park's gorgeous Sunset Tours, or get a behind-the-scenes look at the animals with a Wildside Tour—there’s an adventure for everyone!
The original drive-through safari park in the U.S. (and believed to be "the first cageless zoo in the country"), this safari spot has been serving up African game park experiences for the whole fam since 1967. It’s four miles of drive-through meetings with oryx, giraffes, rhinos, wildebeests and a whole slew of animals we’ll bet you’ve never heard of (with more than 900 total, we’re pretty confident taking that bet), each living it up in an area that replicates their natural habitat. And the lions for which the park is named? Well, they’ve got their special spot where they can’t get up to too much mischief. Ice this cake with an adjacent KOA campground where you can fall asleep listening to the nighttime sounds of the animals outside your tent, just like a real safari!
Wildest Extra: The get-up-and-move activities that are available after your car safari are awesome perks. Mini golf, a safari cruise, plenty of rides and even a splash park are all part of the day’s adventures at Safari World, the 55-acre amusement park portion of this preserve.
Born out of a desire to help dwindling animal populations, Fossil Rim found its roots and eventual footing in propagation programs for threatened and endangered species. Thirty years later, families still flock to this Texas park, where they can take their own vehicles around the 9.5-mile Scenic Drive, or get insider deets and educationally potent tidbits when they ride along on a Guided Tour. We love that The Overlook is smack dab in the middle of this drive, as it's the perfect stopping point for antsy toddlers. Get out and interact with friendly tortoises and curious goats at the Children’s Animal Center, or grab grub at the snack bar.
Wildest Extra: A two-hour nighttime tour through the park to see what wild antics the animals are up to once the sun sets is as thrilling as it sounds! Want to stay even later? Adventurous explorers can also spend the night at the Fossil Rim Lodge, which was the original home for original Fossil Rim owner Tom Mantzel; or at one of the safari cabins overlooking one of Fossil Rim's most popular wildlife watering holes.
Nominated as one of the top 10 Best Safari Parks in the U.S. by USA Today, this 100-acre park is home to hundreds of exotic mammals, birds and reptiles from all over the world—with an assortment of fun ways to see them. Climb aboard the open-air safari truck—or upgrade to a"Supermog" (an all-terrain, safari vehicle modified from a medium-size Isuzu truck)—and set out on a bumpy ride into the Serengeti preserve to see zebras, sable antelope, gemsbok, and more. You may even get a chance to feed a giraffe along the way! When the ride is over, there's plenty more to see, including the "Tiger Splash" show, which lets you spy on Bengal and Siberian tigers as they splash around in their pool and interact with their keepers; and the "Predator Feed," where keepers throw 800 pounds of raw food to eagerly-waiting carnivores.
Wildest Extra: Adrenaline junkies will want to sign up for a zip-line tour over the rolling hills. The "Racing Raptor" features three parallel lines—so you and your kids can zip the more than 1,000 feet together above the animals; the Predator zipline tour gives brave riders a course of five zip line runs above it all (Children must be 8 years old to ride.).
Whether you drive your vehicle, rent a zebra bus (you know you want to) or take advantage of the guided bus tour, your pack will have a grand time spotting many (and even touching a few!) of the 65 different species that roam this 250-acre Serengeti adventure park. Think zebras, elk, bison, camels and more. When the park first opened, it was specially designed to capture the imagination of the littles and engender a lifelong love of animals. Not much has changed since then. Kiddos of all ages love the personal attention they get from the curious animals here! Don't miss the park's newest resident: Malaika, a giraffe calf born in January.
Note: The Wild Animal Safari also has locations in Strafford, MO and Aggieland, TX.
Wildest Extra: The chance to hand-feed animals at the park's Walkabout Adventure Zoo is a hoot for the tot lot. "The animals are sociable, and you may be slobbered on if you are too close," warns the website (in other words, animal-loving kids will be in heaven). Fuzzy, friendly and hungry, these animals are sure to elicit some giggles from the little ones who feed them.
Does your kiddo like things on the yucky side? Take advantage of the gross factor and make your at-home science lessons a little extra icky with the following science experiments for kids. Whether it’s making goo, growing mold or learning about germs, these fun and simple science experiments will have your little lab rat saying, “Ewww!” Click through the slideshow to get the goop.
Make a Non-Newtonian Fluid
Melissa Heckscher
Is it a solid or a liquid? Your little chemists will love playing around with this delightfully yucky ooze, which is a perfect example of a "non-Newtonian fluid" (a substance with both solid and liquid properties). Head over to Scientific American.
Let Germs Grow
Melissa Heckscher
Ready to show instead of tell how germs really lurk? Try this easy germ-growing experiment, which will help kids understand how even the cleanest-looking surfaces (and hands) can be filled with germs. Get the fun and yucky instructions at Kidsactivitiesblog.com.
Spread Some Germs
If growing germs didn't convince them, here's another way to teach your kids the importance of hand washing. This super-quick experiment shows how soap repels germs. All you need is a bowl of water, some pepper and a little dish soap to make the magic happen. Head over to Youtube to see the experiment in action.
It doesn't get much grosser than this. Give your kids a visual lesson on how food travels from mouth-to-tush with this icky experiment that will have even the bravest of grossologists grossed out. Of course, they'll love every minute. Get the instructions at hubpages.com.
Have a Gooey Peep War
This one is a little more gooey than gross, but we think it makes for great afternoon science. Grab some ghost peeps to get in the spirit of the season or use those leftover birds and bunnies you never actually tossed. Arm your Peeps with toothpicks, then pop them in the microwave to see who wins the joust. If your kids don't know what happens when marshmallows get microwaved, have them write their hypotheses beforehand (and/or bet on the winner!) Need inspiration? Watch a full-blown Peep jousting tournament here.
Go Viral
See how icky stuff like bacteria and virus travel in this easy experiment that uses glitter on little hands. Your kids will (hopefully) be washing their hands eagerly by the time they're done. Warning: you may find glitter hiding in places around the house after this one, so if it's nice out do this one in the outdoors. Find out more here.
In Praise of Spit
C'mon, spit's got a bad rap. Do your kids know they wouldn't be able to taste things without saliva to dissolve food particles? Learn the importance of spit (and enjoy a snack) in this taste-testing experiment, courtesy of Kidshealth.org.
Play a Smelly Game of Sniff-and-Seek
What smells? Our noses do! Teach kids the importance smell with this activity that asks them to use only their noses to identify objects. Can they sniff out the fish oil over the garlic cloves? The lemon juice over the orange oil? Homeschooling blogger Ana has the instructions at Babble Dabble Do.
What do you get when you combine Build-A-Bear and Harry Potter? Pure magic! Now the collaboration has expanded with new Hogwarts house hoodies, on-point accessories, plus a Hedwig and Buckbeak!
Your bear will have some serious swag with themed hoodies featuring the colors and crests of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. To up the cuteness factor, grab a matching house beanie! And to complete the look, you can buy the sword of Godric Gryffindor, a Slytherin locket or the famous Hufflepuff Cup.
We’re in love with the new plush Hedwig owl. She even carries a personalized Hogwarts acceptance letter in her beak! Or if you’re looking for something a bit more exotic, you can buy the Buckbeak, a magical beast that’s half eagle and half horse. Despite its fierce looks, it has soft plush claws and a fuzzy tail.
Prices vary and you can buy the new items online or in stores, some with limited quantities. Head to buildabear.com to get started! And in honor of today’s National Teddy Bear Day, you can enter online to win furry friends for a year. Grab a cup of Butterbeer and happy browsing!
National Eat Your Vegetable Day is June 17 and broccoli is the most popular veggie in the U.S., according to a new survey from Green Giant. Believe it or not, every person who picked it said the taste was the top factor!
Regionally there are some disagreements. The East Coast prefers broccoli, but the West Coast leans in favor of carrots. Unsurprisingly, corn is the king of many Midwest states. But every state picked one of those three vegetables as the best, pushing aside past favorites that included tomatoes and cucumber.
Also unsurprisingly, small children were not included in this survey. Green Giant collected data from more than 5,000 Americans over the age of 18. There would likely be even more disagreement among kids and we predict that green smoothies would be a top contender.
Thankfully Green Giant has an array of options for the veggie-averse members of your family. Cauliflower pizza crust, riced veggies, veggie tots and spirals, all frozen for easy side options! Feel free to conduct your own informal survey with your family—with a side of broccoli of course—to mark this week’s holiday.
You’re beaming. Your daughter crushed it at her gymnastics meet. Or maybe your son aced that U.S. states quiz. Our instinct as parents is to shower our children with praise in their moments of success. We want to boost them up because, geez, there’s plenty that can bring them down in the day. And we want them to feel pride in their hard work. We want them to continue working hard. Plus, your child deserves to be celebrated.
But do they… completely?
We Americans value independence. We glorify the individual who shapes his or her own identity and destiny through choice, ability, and effort.
Yet, I don’t know any kid who hasn’t benefitted from the support (both emotional and financial) of you, their parent. Teachers and coaches deserve Empire-State-building-sized trophies this year, as far as I’m concerned. And there are countless others who propel our children to their fullest potential. How about the pediatrician who ingrained in your son the importance of a healthy diet so he had the mental clarity to remember where exactly Missouri is? Or your daughter’s friend who helped her perfect that backbend? Or perhaps even Mary Lou Retton, who inspired her?
This is not to say that your kid doesn’t deserve props. We, as parents, should be our kids’ loudest and most obnoxious fans. Our children need that in our hyper-competitive, goal-driven society.
But there’s another angle from which we can frame success that isn’t centered on your child’s magnificence.
That angle? Gratitude.
Being grateful is realizing that the goodness in your life has come to you, not only because you earned it, but because of other people.
Study after study over the past decade shows that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed.
Not only that, but when we acknowledge that success always comes on the shoulders of others, we don’t diminish our child’s worth. Rather we foster a sense of connection in our child. Since other people and things contribute to our good fortune, reminding your child who helped them achieve their win will connect them to others, nature and even something larger than themselves.
Why is this connection important?
A sense of connectedness is the number one resilience-building factor for youth. According to the American Psychological Association, “Many studies show that the primary factor in resilience is having caring and supportive relationships within and outside the family.”
This means we should try and use every opportunity we have to promote connectedness. Our society tells us it’s all about you, the individual. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps. But that’s not the reality of life. So much of our good fortune comes to us, not because we deserve it, but because of forces outside ourselves.
So let’s appreciate that—let’s be grateful—and teach our kids to as well.
It’s okay to say “Your teacher worked so hard to teach you the states, and you worked so hard to memorize them!” Or “You put so much effort into prepping for your gymnastics meet! Your little brother got schlepped to a gazillion practices for you!”
Tell your child how awesome they are after they crush it. And then ask them who helped them get there, or encourage them to think about the circumstances that allowed them to succeed. You’ll double the win.
After losing a brother to suicide, Devin Tomiak was driven to understand youth resiliency. Her personal mission to strengthen her relationship with her children, develop their emotional intelligence, and improve the communication skills of her whole family led her to create The Biggies Conversation Cards for elementary-aged kids.
Are you a cool mom? Is your own mama cool too? A new survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Angara.com revealed nearly seven out of 10 Americans count their mom as cool!
The recent survey includes data on mom coolness from 2,000 American adults. Of the thousands of participants, 68 percent agreed their mom was cool. Sixty-two percent of the respondents said the reason they ranked their mom as cool was the ability to talk honestly and openly with their kids.
Along with honest communication, more than half of the people surveyed said they ranked their mom as cool because of her decisions to relax the rules. These cool mamas reportedly let their now-adult kiddos get away with things “normal” moms wouldn’t during their childhoods.
Fifty-two percent of the adults surveyed said their mom spoiled her loved ones, making her gift-giving a cool factor. Even though the survey shows that cool moms are possibly the ultimate gift givers, this doesn’t mean moms shouldn’t get gifts too.
Ankur Daga, Founder and CEO of Angara.com, said in a press release, “One of the coolest things about moms, and the role they can play in shaping who we grow up to be, is that every mother’s relationship with their child or children is different. Moms can be such an influential and guiding force in our lives, so it’s only natural to want to give your mom the world.”
What is in your child’s Easter basket this year? If you’re wondering whether your kiddo’s faves are top choices in other fams, RetailMeNot has answers!
RetailMeNot recently released the 2021 data on America’s favorite Easter candy. While you might think the beloved day-glo, sugar crystal-coated marshmallow magic of Peeps is the top pick, this Easter icon doesn’t take the number one spot.
The most popular Easter treat, according to RetailMeNot’s survey, is Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Eggs—with a whopping 26 percent of respondents choosing this salty-sweet combo. Second place went to jelly beans (24 percent). This classic candy was followed by Cadbury Eggs (20 percent), chocolate bunnies (16 percent) and finally Peeps (14 percent).
Along with the top candy choices, RetailMeNot also released data on how much shoppers plan to spend on their Easter hauls. Seventy-seven percent of Easter candy shoppers are keeping the sweets at $50 and under, while 12 percent say they’ll spend between $50 and $100!
Where are the friendliest places to travel? Even though masks may hide smiles, plenty of places are still filled with friendly faces—and Expedia has ranked them for you, based on user experiences.
The travel pros at Expedia sorted through reviews to find the highest number of friendly-factor mentions. Associated words and linguistic connections such as “friendly, friendliest, amiable” landed some cities at the top of Expedia’s list.
Now that you’re ready to pack the family up and head out on your first getaway of the year, it’s time to pick a destination. If friendliness is an important factor, you have plenty of travel destinations to choose from. The top 10 friendliest cities, based on Expedia user reviews include:
Whitefish, Montana
Sister Bay, Wisconsin
Manitou Springs, Colorado
Easton, Maryland
Lihue, Hawaii
Sierra Vista, Arizona
Kennebunkport, Maine
Chincoteague, Virginia
Ogunquit, Maine
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Along with these friendly cities, other top 20 honors went to Carolina Beach, North Carolina, Kahului, Hawaii, Alamogordo, New Mexico, Manhattan, New York, Kapa’a, Hawaii, Bar Harbor, Maine, Grants Pass, Oregon, Deadwood, South Dakota, Hilo, Hawaii and Aspen, Colorado.
Nestlé recently released the results of the brand’s new Parenting Index—and the United States ranks fifth globally in the best places to raise children. The top countries to raise a child based on The Parenting Index are Sweden, Chile, Germany, and Mexico.
The beloved brand’s Index looked at parenting views from more than 8,000 moms and dads of children zero to 12-months in 16 different countries. After analyzing the responses, researchers were able to identify eight universal factors universally impacting parenting practices.
Pressure ranked as the top factor impacting U.S. parents. Not only did American moms and dads feel pressure for their kids to “have it all,” but they also reported high levels of pressure from others. Other issues U.S. parents reported were social shaming (46 percent of parents), loneliness (30 percent), the baby blues (45 percent) and the desire for greater sharing of parenting responsibilities (51 percent).
Dr. Ming Cui, Professor of Family and Child Sciences at Florida State University and M.S. in Statistics and Ph.D. in Sociology, Fulbright U.S. Scholar, reviewed The Parenting Index methodology and findings. Of the result, Dr. Cui said, in a press release, “Today’s parents are increasingly parenting in a state of anxiety, which can be reflected from findings in this report, such as the external/internal pressure, lack of confidence and financial demands they say they are experiencing.”
Cui added, “Influenced by popular media along with technology advances, many parents from different cultures and socio-economic classes feel pressured to do it all.”
Even though the findings may highlight some of the not-so-great parts of parenting, the results weren’t entirely negative. American parents did report feeling positive in general. They also felt they have access to the health and well-being resources they need.
To learn more about the study’s findings, view The Parenting Index here.
