Alternatives to Traveling Under the Sea Taking a Safari with Kids

Are your kids asking for a magical family vacation to the pristine Caribbean sea complete with unique sea life or to the savannahs of Africa? If you do not plan on actually taking a week or more off this year for this type of family vacation, an alternative exists…Broadway. Through the magic of stage and Disney, kids can journey under the sea or on a safari adventure with Ariel and Simba by attending a performance on Broadway of The Little Mermaid or Lion King productions. Of course, a tropical family vacation to Walt Disney World can also incorporate these two films.

Kids will be swept away with their imagination when hearing and watching Little Mermaid classic songs including Academy Award®-winning Best Original Song, “Under the Sea” or “Part of Your World”, plus 10 new songs including one by a favorite character, Flounder.

During this mini-tropical escape, kids of all ages will be entertained by colorful sea life and the possibility of exploring one of our world’s natural wonders. To take a glimpse at ocean life, click Sneak Peak.

The Little Mermaid is playing at The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, located at 205 West 46th Street, New York, NY.

For families wishing to travel to Africa, but are not planning on leaving the United States, attending a performance of The Lion King might be just the safari adventure needed to help kids learn about the savannah wildlife.

The puppetry and African masks help bring Simba and other favorite characters to life on this journey. To see a sampling, click Sneak Peak.

The Lion King is playing at The Minskoff Theatre, located at 1515 Broadway,
New York, NY.

If you have not ventured to New York City (NYC) with kids yet, do not fear as the Big Apple offers many kid-friendly activities in addition to Broadway shows.

One NYC resident, Lisa Hanock-Jasie, says her family and friends always visit attractions (be they historic, cultural, or entertaining) on "free admission" days/evenings. “In these challenging times the total admission for an entire family is often cost-prohibitive,” she adds.

Some NYC freebies Hanock-Jasie advocates for frugal travelers with children include:
Bronx Zoo - Free Wednesdays (normally $15)
Museum of Modern Art- Free Fridays 4:00pm-8:00pm (normally $20)
Brooklyn Children's Museum - Free Saturdays to families 10:00-11:00am (normally $7.50)

To help travelers plan out a budget-friendly trip, TripAdvisor®’s top 10 free attractions in the U.S.,according to traveler popularity and TripAdvisor editors, includes Central Park in NYC.

Family travel to NYC in 2007 totaled approximately 12.7 million U.S. visitors, according to NYC & Company. With some advance planning and preparation, traveling to top U.S. destinations such as NYC can be enhanced with free attractions.

Traveling to NYC
For those traveling to NYC in 2009, the trip just became easier with a new transportation option for those in the Washington, DC metro area. Starting in 2009, TripperBus.com will be offering tickets for as little as $1 per way as a special promotion, with additional seats available at $5, $10 and the standard price of $25 each way.

Traveling between Washington, DC and NYC has never been so easy, convenient, or cost-effective for families. Tripper Bus’ first class coaches will provide free Wireless service and electrical outlets, allowing travelers to maximize productivity during travels or the ability for little ones to enjoy DVDs along the way.

To avoid congestion and parking challenges in downtown DC, Tripper Bus is offering convenient, Metro-accessible pick-up and drop-off locations in Bethesda, Maryland and Arlington, Virginia.

Travelers can make reservations for TripperBus.com’s new travel schedules with convenient pick up and drop off locations at the Rossyln and Bethesda Metro locations for DC Metropolitan area and near Penn Station in NYC starting today at www.TripperBus.com or calling 1-877-826-2874.

What is your favorite kid-friendly NYC attraction?

Photo Credits:
Ariel Photo: TRUE LOVE KNOWS NO DEPTHS! - Prince Eric swims to his sweetheart Ariel in "Voyage of the Little Mermaid" at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Guests can smell the salty air and feel the sea mist and wind in the show which features characters and music from the Academy Award-winning film.

Lion King Photo: “Photograph © Disney”