Family travel tips for MSP Airport

Plan ahead during the busiest travel times

It's the busiest time of year for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) as Minnesota families head out for the holidays or spring break. It's wise to arrive at least two hours early for your flight, even if it's domestic and there are no threats of snow storms.

Another way to make travel go more smoothly is to download MSP's airport app through the goHow airport series. It just added Android capability this week, in addition to previously offered iPhone and Blackberry applications. The MSP airport app offers:

• Up-to-date information about flight and gate check-in times directly from the airport and from FlightStats™, providing full domestic and international flight coverage
• Real-time flight updates and airport operational alerts via push notifications
• Real-time parking and security line wait times, where available
• Weather information for both departure and arrival cities
• Promotions customized to the traveler’s gate location, time of day and departure/arrival cities
• Real-time ratings of airport concessionaires and facilities – and the ability for travelers to add their own.
  

In addition to goHow native applications for BlackBerry, iPhone, and now, Android, goHow is also available as a mobile-friendly web site at http://www.goHowWeb.com <http://www.gohowweb.com/> .
Here are some other tips to make everything go more smoothly: 

Be ready for security

Double check that you have everything well-organized for security points with the 3-1-1 rule for liquids. Go to www.tsa.gov for specifics and exceptions such as baby formula and medicines. Put kids in easy-to-remove shoes so you're not held up tying shoelaces. It's hard enough to be collapsing strollers and taking kids out of carriers.

Travel light

Know your airline’s luggage weight and size restrictions. Everyone does seem to fudge the carry-on rules these days. You, too, may get away with it, but you also run the risk of being trapped in the aisle with no place to put a roller bag. If the crew does need to check your bag due to a lack of space, there is some consolation in not paying the check-in fee. Keep all your essentials in a bag you can fit beneath a seat.

Have documents ready

Print boarding passes at home and have identification double-checked and handy. Keep them with other documents on reservations, car rentals and maps. If you are a Delta Air Lines customer flying out of gates C10 through C27, G14 through G22 or Concourses A or B, check your bags at the Delta counter on Level T and take the tram to Checkpoint 10  midway on the C/G Concourse Connector Bridge. Concourses A & B are the longest walk. Take the tram until you reach the end of the line. 

Be assured of parking

I usually use Park 'N Fly (www.parknfly.com), but it may fill up on busy weeks. Make a reservation online to assure a space and get a better rate. If you're parking at the airport, use SurePark® to check  availability (www.mspairport.com/parking/surepark). You can save $4 over parking at the Lindbergh Terminal by using the lot at Terminal 2, the Humphrey Terminal.  Reach the main terminal with a free ride on the light rail transit line.

Bring tippy cups and empty bottles

Don't get stuck paying $3 for a huge bottle of water. Bring normal-sized but empty bottles through security. You can fill them at drinking fountains and add a drink mix to flavor it if you want. If you have any kids under 5 with you, free drinks on the flight are not worth it when flailing hands and knees inevitably sends cups flying into your lap or someone else's. I've worn tomato juice spilled by an adult. It isn't pretty.

Pack a meal
If you have room in your carry-ons, stash a packed lunch. Even if you want to eat at the airport, it's a wise backup in case of delays on the runway or long restaurant lines during busy flying weeks. Baby carrots or pea pods, peanut butter and jelly on a denser bread, single-pack Pringles, granola or energy bars, dried fruit, apples and nuts all pack well and can take a little beating.


Get more info
Stay up to date on airport info with Twitter (follow mspairport). If you download the goHow Airport app you can also peruse menus for full service restaurants.
--Lisa Meyers McClintick

Find alternative vacation plans with Minnesota shutdowns

Families love Clear Lake Campground at Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest in Wisconsin.

State park closed? Try national forests or county campgrounds

Photos & feature by Lisa Meyers McClintick
There are surely moans (or shrieks) of frustration today as weekend and summer plans are foiled by the Minnesota government shutdown. It has closed all Minnesota state parks, rest areas and travel information centers and even the ability to get a fishing license. The impact can be devastating on vacations, especially if you're camping and on a budget.

Campsite at Nine-Mile Lake.

Don't fret. Sometimes needing a Plan B can lead to great new discoveries. That happened to us last year when we got shut out of state park camping on the North Shore. Every single site was booked, much to our disbelief. So we went inland and found a beautiful site on the shore of Nine-Mile Lake. It was gorgeous.

1. Look for private or city campgrounds.
A few can be loud and crowded if you're a tent camper (some cater to RV owners who stay for the summer), but others such as Lamb's Resort in Shroeder on the North Shore have some of the best tent sites on Lake Superior. You'll need to plan ahead. These do book early.

Get advice on private or municipal campgrounds from city or regional visitors bureaus. While Explore Minnesota is affected by the shutdown, smaller tourism offices such as Explore Brainerd Lakes or Visit Duluth are not. The Brainerd Lakes Welcome Center along Highway 10 also will remain open and has a wealth of brochures on area attractions.

Another campground possibility: Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds at Crosslake and Gull Lake Dam near Brainerd.

Another good search tool: Hospitality Minnesota.

2. Go a little rustic with national forests.

Near Stony Point Campground,  part of Chippewa National Forest.

A few facilities may be more rustic (pit toilets and no running water), but you can find dozens of beautiful campgrounds in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests. Try Stony Point Campground near Walker, Norway Lake near Cass Lake or Nine-Mile Lake near Tofte. Some do have showers and flush toilets if that's a deal-breaker.

3. Check out county and city parks. 
Some of these rival state parks in size and natural features. Two that come to mind are Alexander Ramsey Park in Redwood Falls (which also has camping) and Quarry Park in St. Cloud (day use only). Quarry Park has cliff jumping, quarry swimming, scuba diving, trout fishing, hiking and technical mountain biking, making it a favorite with the 20-something adrenaline crowd.

3. Cross the border. 
Try a Wisconsin, Iowa or Dakota State Park. One of our favorites is the stunning Devil's Lake State Park near Wisconsin Dells. Wisconsin's Chequamegon National Forest and Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest also are good outdoorsy destinations. For the latter, Clear Lake or Trout Lake campgrounds are both great choices and near the resort hub of Minocqua with plenty of family attractions. Read more about the area.

Need more Wisconsin advice? Check out Mary Bergin's Roads Traveled.

Minnesota's Cuyuna Lakes mountain bike trails open

You'd never know this ultra-clear lake near Crosby was formerly a mine pit.

Former mines transform into a premiere playground

Jenny Smith heading through Boot Camp.

One of Minnesota's best-kept secrets, the Cuyuna Lakes State Recreation Area, won't be under the radar much longer. The buzz has been building for years among mountain biking fans. License plates from across the country already have showed up in the parking lot since some of the rugged new trails opened just before Memorial Day weekend.

They're spectacular--and that's just the Boot Camp section for beginners. My son and I did about eight miles on May 27 with guidance from Jenny Smith, owner of Crosby's Cycle Path and Paddle. It's a blast.

We love the exhilaration of swooping around corners, riding into dips and rattling down hills. Terrain goes from pines to birch and hardwoods, from sand and soil to the red dirt and jagged rocks from iron mining days.

For hard-core mountain bikers, who can rumble and launch across 250-foot slag piles, it's an adventurous 22-mile, tire-shredding nirvana.

From diving and kayaking to IMBA destination
The International Mountain Biking Association has been working with the Minnesota Department of Nature Resources for years to carve trails through the former iron mine property. It sounds gritty and industrial, but it's surprisingly gorgeous. The hills created by excavating ore rise up steep and wooded, while the 500-foot pits below them form 17 emerald-green lakes. It feels like a mini Boundary Waters Canoe Area, but much closer to the Twin Cities.

How clear is it? This is one of the most popular spots for Scuba diving in the state. Really. Check out the excursions and beginner classes through the Minnesota Dive School in Brainerd, which also does dive trips to Lake Superior.

It's also amazing for kayaking. On my first paddle here about three years ago, I have to admit the thought of a 500-foot drop below me was a little creepy. But then the surrounding beauty takes over, and it's pure fun.

You'll find a few anglers here, too, as the deep, extra-cold water supports trout. And if you need an ideal way to cool off after a sweaty good ride, there's nothing like a mine lake.


Celebrate the trails' grand opening

Keep an eye out for iron ore and interesting rocks.

The trails' official grand opening and the first Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Festival is June 10-12. Hans "No Way" Rey, a California-based German mountain biker who travels the world, will be part of the fun. He's doing an extreme skill demonstration in the Yawkey Expert Skills Area and an outdoor big screen movie of his global mountain biking adventures that have taken him to pyramids, jungles and the ancient Petra ruins.

There will be a Night Ride, Grand Tour, Kids Bike Parade, Kids Bike Race, Trek Time Trial, and the Kryptonight Crusher cross-country race.  Not surprisingly, Red Bull will be there, too, along with assorted bonfires, live music and beer and wine to make it an official party.

A few Cuyuna Trail tips:
Bike with a buddy. 
The terrain is rugged and remote. Local EMT crews have gone through special training to deal with trail emergencies, but that doesn't mean it's an easy task--especially if no one knows you're there.

Wear long pants or leggings. You'll protect your legs better and shield yourself from the poison ivy. One crash off the trail, and you may be swimming in it.

Take extra tire tubes. Some of the most extreme areas have the highest potential for tire-shredding terrain.

Start with an expert.
If you've never tried mountain biking, go with someone who can coach you through it. Jenny at Cycle Path & Paddle also may be adding some family mountain bike sessions or do some women-only sessions as the summer progresses.

My first time on a mountain was on North Dakota's Maah Daah Hey Trail. It took about half an hour for me to loosen the death grip I had on the brakes. Cuyuna's boot camp session isn't quite as challenging, but if you're brand-new, you need to feel comfortable enough to trust momentum, let it carry you down the hills and back up the next one.

Trust me. You don't have to be a Red-Bull-slammin' extremist to enjoy this exhilarating sport. It's a joy ride no matter what level you're at.

If you need pavement beneath your wheels, Cuyuna has a fine paved trail system, as well, and you'll get some of the same picturesque views of the mine lakes and forest--just not the whoops of triumph when zooming up and down mountain bike trails. Consider it a mostly silent sport.

For maps, details on the celebration, and info on rustic campsites, check for updates through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Minnesota family resorts: Lake vacations with old-fashioned fun

Hydro-biking at Northern Lights Resort

It's a little embarrassing to admit, but we haven't had the chance to enjoy a true lakeside resort before--not the neighborly family-run variety where kids roam freely, movie rentals are on  the honor system, potlucks are spontaneous, and the resort dog shows up when she gets the first whiff of pancakes.

Flexible schedule saves money

Northern Lights Resort near Voyageurs National Park.

Most family-run smaller resorts require weeklong commitments during peak summer weeks. That can be beyond many budgets or more than you can spare from work or kids' activities. Some resorts are so popular, families book the same cabin and the same week each summer, making it tough for newcomers to get reservations. If you fit into any of those categories, consider the first two weeks of June or last two weeks of August when planning for 2011. You'll find more flexibility for shorter stays plus better rates if you're willing to risk the more unpredictable and chillier temps. 

Our gamble paid off with gorgeous weather and a relaxing three-night stay at Northern Lights Resort. Yes, the lake was cold, but we toughed it out and got used to it. Needless to say, the kids had a blast. With paddleboats, hydro-bikes, canoes and kayaks, fishing galore, an ice cream social and pontoon rides, there really was something for everyone. 

Look for resorts with the best water toys

Launching into Lake Kabetogama

Many of the best resorts have wonderful lake toys: trampolines, inflated log rolls, slides and swim rafts. We were lucky enough to have a Rave Aqua Tower at Northern Lights. You climb to the top and slide down or you jump down to "the blob" and wait for someone to jump on the other end and launch you. That was hands-down the best entertainment possible. Really. We couldn't decide what was better--seeing them go for height records or distance. Even a great sunset can't compare to the thrill of seeing a 11-year-old fly flailing into the air. Good stuff.

Save money at Wisconsin Dells & water parks

I was talking with Floridians last week who were puzzling over Minnesotan's love affair with indoor water parks. This time of year--as it's finally nudged past 11 degrees--I would go to an indoor water park just to peel off long underwear, wool socks and turtlenecks. Not to mention bulky sweaters that make me feel as svelte as Frosty the Snowman. There's also this "We're in this together" camaraderie with Midwest water parks. Go to Florida with pasty winter skin, and you risk blinding the locals. Go to an indoor water park, and, hey, we're all solar-challenged.

If you're ready for an steamy oasis of fake tropics and ecstatic, shrieking kids, here are
a few tips for saving money and making the most of visiting the Midwest's indoor water parks:

• Aim for a mid-week visit if you have toddlers and can take advantage of the often-cheaper rates and lighter crowds.
• If traveling mid-week, make sure the park is open. Some smaller ones close mid-week in the off-season and larger ones have to do occasional maintenance work (such as waxing slides for maximum speed).

• Watch for coupons and online specials, especially in large resort areas such as Wisconsin Dells. (That's the Wilderness Resort's wave pool pictured above. With a clear roof, you'd never know it's indoors.)
• Plan ahead. The most economical and least crowded months to go are May and September. The last week in August is good, too. Wisconsin kids go back to school before Minnesotans.
• Try one of the smaller water parks, usually 10,000 to 12,000 square feet, if you have preschool children or toddlers. Save the big guns--tummy-flipping slides and gotta-scream rides--and the big budgets for later. You can get nickle-and-dimed by all the big resort kiosks (or feel mentally battered by incessant begging). Think hair-braiding, fake tattoos, toys and gadgets and those blingy arcades. This is an ideal time to motivate older kids to earn and save an allowance.
• Most water parks allow a limited number of non-guests in for a day fee. Adults, even if they stay out of the water, usually need to pay admission as well. Always call first for availability in case general admission tickets are sold out.

• Take extra swimsuits so you don’t have to wear a wet one for a second trip to the park. Bring a cover-up for walking through hallways, which tend to be cool, and waterproof sandals. Those flip-flops or Crocs are hard for us to remember in Sorrel season, but you don't want to risk someone swiping expensive shoes or soaking nice leather.
• Bring quarters for lockers if you need them.
• Feed kids well before heading to the park or be prepared to shell out for snack-bar food. It's more nutritious, cheaper and easier to slap together a PBJ and slice up some apples in a hotel room. And how many moms want to go dining elsewhere with water park hair, no make-up and kids without patience for any quick fixes? Did I mention bringing a baseball hat?
• Take a waterproof camera (a disposable one should work) or risk ruining a regular one when some kid aims a water cannon your way. We have a shockproof, waterproof Minolta model, but it shoots better photos of eels in the ocean than kids shooting down a slide.
• Have a pre-determined meeting spot in case anyone gets lost.
• Pack waterproof Band-Aids in case of scrapes.
• Most parks do not allow water toys or floaties, but they do usually provide life jackets, which offer both parents and non-swimming kids some peace of mind.

(Above photo: The Edge at Duluth's Best Western.)