[Sly Fox]

This time next week, I will arrive for a full week of fun in the 'Burg with Mrs. Sly and our three little Slys (or should that be slies?). I am trying to come up with things that will keep my 6-year-old son, 4-year-old daughter and 20-month-old daughter entertained during our stay.

Obviously we will be heavily involved in Homecoming activities but my crew will likely hit their threshold sooner than yours truly. So I am trying to coming up with a list so that I have options based on weather (anybody remember the gully washers homecoming week last fall?). Here is what I have so far:

• LaHaye ice skating
  Hike to the monogram
  Amazement Square
  D-Day Memorial
  Peaks of Otter/Blue Ridge Parkway Drive
  Poplar Forest (if it is open during the fall)

I know a number of you guys have little kids. What are their favorite things to do?

With the same mindset, what are the best kid-friendly dining options?

[JDUB]

i'd check to see if there are any kids movies at the $1 theater. that is always a good cheap choice. also putt putt on timberlake if they arent too young for that. obviously 20 month old isn't gonna be swinging a club but the others should be able to

[flamesbball84]

does anyone know if the chuck-e-cheese still here? i think they changed their name to something else though, but when I was a kid I liked going there.

if you dont mind hitting up roanoke for a day, check out the mill mountain zoo and the science museum in downtown roanoke. the zoo is fairly nice for a smaller zoo and the science museum typically has some pretty neat stuff. i know there are other things there too obviously, but those are the two i'm most familiar with.

the kids should love amazement square. i've never been there, but I hear kids and heck even adults have fun at that place.

putt-putt is a solid option as well. I think they have bumper boats now too, but i'm not 100% positive about that, they might not would even let a 6 year old do that anyways though.

there is a ton of historical stuff around here to check out. there's the appomattox court house where Robert E. Lee surrendered, the ann spencer house, fort early, point of honor (for the local folks, I recommend going there around christmas time, they do a pretty nice job of decorating it up with decorations accurate for the time, which means no christmas tree however), and the miller claytor house (never heard of it until today, apparently it was the fourth or fifth house ever built in Lynchburg and was once owned by Thomas Jefferson).

[Sly Fox]

We are members of the Houston Zoo and the Houston Museum of Natural Science so we would be able to get in free at either of those Roanoke museums. Then again, my kids may not be impressed.

I like the mindset, guys. And the $1 theatre is definitely a possibility. But I am hoping to have them do some things they can't do in Houston.

[qkslvrsrfrboy]

But I am hoping to have them do some things they can't do in Houston.

like wear a sweater and pants and not be sweating?

I know that when my parents came back for a homecoming yeeeeeears ago, it was all the random memories of seeing LU that always had it stick in my mind. Check out the tilley center, I think Alumni will be quite envious of what students now take for granted.

The monogram is definitely a good hike to go there and all around the paths back there, but it also isnt enough to make a day of it. Though with kids that probably is an impossibility anyways.

Unfortunately, I dont think there is a whole lot other than what you already mentioned for your kids to experience in Lynchburg that they wont experience in Houston. Just take them to all the places you went the most in your days here and let them get a history lesson in the life of their Dad. The good stuff may stick, and the stuff you let out you dont want your kids to know will probably be forgotten.

[PAmedic]

What's that ice cream place across the street from LaHaye in the shopping center that wasn't there when were in school? Try that place. It's cheap.

[4everfsu]

We are going to hit the WW II memorial in Bedford on the way up Thursday.

[Fumblerooskies]

No Chuck-E-Cheese.

The ice cream place is the Sundae Grill. Christian owners and very good food at a good price.

Sly...I recommend an LU football game for the family. I understand there is one while you're in town.

[JDUB]

the monogram isn't really a hike, its more a stroll up a gravel road. just thought i'd point that out for those who haven't been there. you don't need hiking boots, tennis shoes would be better.

hopefully they will be giving alumni tours and show them the tilley center and lahaye and all that. i think alumni will be surprised at how nice all the new stuff is

[Eagle Ed]

take 'em to Docs after the hike ... also - its old-school, but my family likes to go downtown on the weekend for the farmer's market & antique-unique shopping (and everybody picking out something different to eat for lunch at the assorted eateries) ...

[Cider Jim]

Sly, the kids would love the Virginia Safari Park in Natual Bridge (NOT to be confused with the Natural Bridge Zoo). Here you drive around and see zoo-like animals out in the open, and you can even feed them.

http://www.virginiasafaripark.com/

Doc's Diner is also a must.

[ALUmnus]

I could use a couple extra hands clearing out some of my woods. How are they with the chainsaw?

[JDUB]

i wouldn't go out of the way for docs. it isn't the greatest thing on earth and the service is really slow. i'd rather eat at campus north

[cynical_stoic]

You could do what most LU students do, spend hours doing nothing at Walmart.

Not really an all day event or anything, but TRBC (now located right next to LU) has a playground both indoor and outdoor that might be good for the youngins to spend an hour or so with.

[JDUB]

haha i almost suggested walmart!
driving on the parkway would probably be a good option. you could see some deer probably, and possibly some turkeys and there are some nice overlooks

[justagirl]

what about the corn maze? i dont know if you know the Steele's. Mrs. and Mr. Steele taught at lca for quite a while, all the kids went to TRBC. They moved to the country, have a farm and got a professional company to come in a cut a maze through their corn feild. they also have concessions and stuff:

http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/lifestyl ... zzle/8639/

[LUconn]

LU football is good family entertainment.

[bigsmooth]

Then again, my kids may not be impressed.

geez sly..nothing east of the mississippi is any good according to you!!

[cynical_stoic]

wonder if i'm a troll if i suggest:
http://www.retroweb.com/lynchburg/attractions/main.html

[flamesbball84]

Sly, the kids would love the Virginia Safari Park in Natual Bridge (NOT to be confused with the Natural Bridge Zoo). Here you drive around and see zoo-like animals out in the open, and you can even feed them.

http://www.virginiasafaripark.com/

Doc's Diner is also a must.

That sounds sweet, I need to check that out sometime.

[flamesbball84]

We are members of the Houston Zoo and the Houston Museum of Natural Science so we would be able to get in free at either of those Roanoke museums. Then again, my kids may not be impressed.

Do they have hyenas at the Houston Zoo?

[Sly Fox]

Actually they do have hyenas in Houston. And smoothie, we are very down with the National Zoo in DC and the Cincy Zoo which are both east of that big, muddy river.

I am definitely interested in the corn maze. My kids would love that.

And are there any good festivals homecoming weekend? I checked and the Appomattox RR Fest is this weekend so we'll miss it.

[JDUB]

how long are you gonna be here? if you tailgate for the game saturday, watch the parade, and go to the game that is most of the day saturday. then if you go to the monogram, the orchards, the parkway, random historical sites you've mentioned, putt-putt, etc. I'm thinking you need to create a schedule for how you are going to fit all this stuff in

[Rooster Cogburn]

This guy has all the good ones highlighted:

O forget it, I see it above. He beat me to it.
Troll!

I would suggest putt putt!

[Sly Fox]

Our plan is to arrive last Wednesday night and then drive down to Charlotte the following Wednesday. Spending all day on campus that Saturday is a given. The rest is still being mapped out.