Medieval Times in Baltimore

As we prepare our vacation to Washington, D.C. I decided to check if there was a Medieval Times in the area.   Well, I found out that there was one in Baltimore (about 30 minutes of drive from Washington, D.C.) and an idea slowly germinated in my head.  You see this coming September, our homeschool coop will be studying the Middle Ages and why not trying to go to Medieval Times to stir up the appetite of knowledge for my kids.    A few email exchange between the castle in Baltimore and myself and they graciously gave us tickets for the family to attend.  I was delighted and very excited about it.  When I told my husband, he quickly said “Let’s surprise the kids.”   We didn’t say anything to them as we packed for the vacation, drove to Washington and explored it.   Even on the day of our Dinner & Tournament we didn’t say anything to them.  We actually made them believe that daddy wanted to go see the Bass Pro Shop in Baltimore (which we did by the way because fishing is a family activity for us).  

A few times during that week our oldest said something like “Is there a Medieval Times in Washington?” The answer was always a “We didn’t check and this is not something we are planning to do this time around if there is one.”   Somehow he was disappointed because he liked going there.  Nevertheless, a quick look to each other we knew that the kids would love going there the following Saturday.

Saturday arrived and the kids were told we would do some shopping in the afternoon.   It wasn’t an enthusiastic crowd that we had but they followed.    As we arrived to the mall, when we parked all reacted when they saw the castle.  But mom and dad kept them from getting overly excited by saying – “Oh! I guess there is a castle here… maybe next time we will go.  We can’t do it today.”   We went to the store dad wanted to go and shopped a bit.  Then we looked at the time and said “We should get back on the road so we can eat supper at the trailer.”   We all walked toward the truck and I was getting slightly excited in surprising them.  In my purse I had my daughter’s Medieval princess dress which she didn’t know I had brought.   The kids climbed in the truck and then we said “Let’s go back inside.”   They were surprised and then we told them.   The joy in their faces and all.   I even showed Jasmine her dress and she was extremely overjoyed that I had thought of bringing it.    We had a bit of time to kill before the show and walked a bit in the mall.

What is Medieval Times?

Medieval Times is an exciting family-friendly dinner attraction inspired by an 11th century feast and tournament.  A four course banquet will feed your belly as you watch and cheer one of the six knights competing in the joust and other tests of skills like swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, horsemanship and falconry.  The story is set in Medieval Spain.

Sitting in our section – Black & White Knight

Everyone in the family were thrilled to be sitting in the Black & White Knight section.  

The Menu

As noble guest of Medieval times, you will be serve a four courses dinner including garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, spare rib, herb-basted potatoes, pastry as well as beverages.  Vegetarian meals are available upon request.

Here’s the tomato bisque soup that is serve in a bow with a handle.  The soup was very warm so kids might want to wait a bit before drinking it.

Beware that no utensils are available during the meal.   You will have to eat your food like the people during the Medieval Times – your hands…

The Tournament

The show started with a beautiful demonstration of how knights would connect with their horse and a parade of all the differents knights with their horses and attendants.

The king giving instructions to all six knights for the tournament.

A person of the Northern Kingdom came to offer a gift to the king.  He wasn’t the nicest person and wanted the hand of the princess for his king.

Falconry was a skills developed by people during the Middle Ages.   We were able to witness some of the skills developed in Falconry.

Jasmine was wearing her princess dress  and made quite an impression on the staff there as well as some other guests.   Even our server said that she looked lovely in this dress.  But the high point of her presence that day was to receive a flower from the Black & White Knight which we were cheering.    She was delighted to get the red flower and quickly put it over her ear.

The jousting was the best part of the tournament I find.  We were able to witness many aspects of fighting as a knight during the show.

After supper, I intertwined Jasmine’s flower inside her braids and she said she had a great time at the Dinner & Tournament at Medieval Times.   The boys were also happy to have attended and were thankful beyond measure.

Needless to say, we had an amazing time at Medieval Times Baltimore/Washington, D.C. and recommend this Dinner & Tournament to anyone visiting the area – whether you are American, Canadian or from elsewhere in the world.   You will enjoy experiencing the Middle Ages from the 11th century Medieval Spain era.

At the time of posting this review, a special price is offered for everyone who wants to attend the Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament.   The price for all seats is $35 and this gives your two-hour tournament, four-course medieval feast and a great evening with your family.   This special is valid until July 31st, 2014.

Homeschoolers might like to discover that you can access the Educators section of the website of Medieval Times in order to learn more about the Middle Ages.   This section will highlight the life at the castle, the science and technology of the Middles Ages, the life in a Medieval village, the weaponry of the Medieval Age as well as some insight on dramatic acting.

Medieval Times Baltimore/Washington, D.C. is located at 7000 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, Maryland 21076.  Note that the castle is attached to the Arundel Mills mall and the entrance is located inside the mall (park near the Best Buy for close access).

Medieval Times has numerous locations throughout the USA and Canada.  See the map below to discover your closest location.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Medieval Times Baltimore/Washington, D.C. for letting us attend the Dinner and Tournament at no extra charge for review purposes.   I was not monetarily compensated for this review.   Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.   All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Field Trip in the 11th Century and experience the Middle Ages

Medieval Times has been part of our lives the last few years.   Back in 2009, my husband and I went to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary in Toronto and attended their evening show.   We had so much fun that we immediately thought that the kids would enjoy it.    So the next year, when we were visiting Toronto with the family, my husband brought the boys as a surprise.   Our daughter was too young back then and we knew that one day we would bring her too!

In May, we had to go to Toronto since my husband had a contract there.   A whole month rving and homeschooling outside.    It was different and we had a good time (apart for one cold rainy week!).    But while there, I decided to approach various attractions and offer them to review it in exchange of free entrance for my family.   One of these attractions was Medieval Times in Toronto.   Sending such an email was new to me and I was excited when I got positive answers – including from the Medieval Times.    The kids didn’t know I was doing this so it was a surprise for some of them.    (I will explain later why I say some of them…)

After a few exchange of emails, it was decided that my family would attend the Education Program during the lunch hour on June 6th (our anniversary).    I was so happy that my daughter – who is four years old – would experience this entertaining show.    Mind you I also knew that the food would be different than what we had experience previously.    But that didn’t matter because I knew we would have a fun time and learn more about the Middle Ages and knights.

So one evening, my husband announced that he booked tickets for Jasmine and me to the Medieval Times.   The first reaction of the boys was “Not Fair!”  but when daddy said that Jasmine never experience it they agreed that it was okay.    When I said “But would you mind driving us to the show?”, the oldest said “You’re not serious!” to which my husband said “For sure we will drive you!”   *grin*   The little scheme worked perfectly because the boys were already planning where they would go eat with daddy.   

When the day came, we left a little bit later than I would have liked and ended up to be borderline late.   But we arrive in time, and they walked us up to the castle.   We all went inside (they are still thinking it is just Jasmine and I going by then) so I could get our tickets.   They were confused at first when they saw six tickets… and then they were really happy to attend the show too!  (Yeah I know we are sneaky…. but their face were priceless!)

As I mentioned before, we attended the Educational Program which is offered at specific times during the year.   This program is currently offered until the end of June when classes will be done for the summer.   During the Education Program, you will get an history lesson presented by the King and his Noble Court within the walls of an 11th century-style castle.   You will also live a personal journey to the Middle Ages during the lesson as well as during the show.  

This student program was interesting as it provided educational and entertaining at the same time.    This is a unique way to learn as you can see how knights would fight during the Middle Ages.   This field trip not only the educational content as well as the show but a meal is also served to you.   This meal is smaller than the meal served at a regular program but for a lunch it was satisfying.  The Bill of Fare for the education program at the Toronto castle included garlic bread, oven-roasted chicken quarter, sweet corn cobette, herb-roasted potato, a dessert as well as water or Pepsi.     The food was delicious and we were stuffed by the time the program was finished.   

What should you expect during an Education Program?   Well a ton of information about life during the Middles Ages, how Knights would prepare their training and battle as well as demonstrations.     When one section of the presentation is done, you go through a little question and answer period (including multiple choices questions) to make sure you understood the lesson.

Once the Education Program was completed, we experienced the regular show which includes a story line, battles as well as demonstrations on how the horse are trained and so on.    We saw the marvelous flight of a falcon, the way horses are trained and even a horse did a little dance for everyone.   

Then it was time for the “story” and how the knights fought to demonstrate their abilities to everyone.   The story unfolds as you receive your meal and eat.    The servers are dressed like in the Middle Ages and are very friendly.   Don’t forget to bring some extra money for the tips as they do an incredible work serving you during the show. 

Each knight has its own colors and the horses have the same colors as well.   The actors are well trained and you quickly see how demanding this is on them because by the end of the show they were all sweaty and out of breath.  But the show is entertaining and it will keep you on the edge of your seat as you wonder what will happen to the prince and how he will get saved.

When we left, the kids were all excited and were glad they were surprised by this outing.   Yes it was our anniversary but celebrating it with our kids was so special too!   Jasmine was delighted that she got a flower from our knight (though he was the bad guy in the story!).   It was interesting to see her blush for the first time when he gave her the flower.   

In the end, the show was very informative as we learned quite a bit about the Middle Ages and knights.    The kids enjoyed the lunch and we were pleased to surprise them with an out-of-the-ordinary outing.

Medieval Times is also the perfect way to celebrate a special day with your loved ones.  Whether it is a birthday, graduation, bridal shower or any kind of special event in your life, Medieval Times can accommodate your party and make the day memorable.   For example, this coming week-end – June 15 to 17 – they offer a special Father’s Day deal where dad gets in free with the purchase of one full-priced adult admission.   See the promotion here!

There are numerous Medieval Times throughout the US – Atlanta, Baltimore, Buena Park, Dallas, Kissimmee, Lyndhurst, Myrtle Beach, Schaumburg – but in Canada there is only one in Toronto!   

Medieval Times Toronto is located at 10 Dufferin St., Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario M6K 3C3.

Prices are 63.95$ for adults and 40.95$ for children ages 12 years and under.  Kids ages 3 and under are free!   Depending of the package you buy, you might have to pay more.  

We had the privilege to get a picture taken and receive a souvenir cup as well.

Would I recommend Medieval Times as a family outing?   You  bet.   It is well worth the price and the experience will be fabulous!    This show is perfect for anyone – not just for homeschoolers or school.   If you have an interest in Middle Ages, I would strongly suggest that you consider the Educational Program.  It is well worth it.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Medieval Times for letting us attend the Education Program at no extra charge for review purposes.   I was not monetarily compensated for this review.   Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.   All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Royal Botanical Gardens

Since my husband has a contract outside of town, we have decided to bring the whole family with the RV and homeschool on the road. Though we do a bit of school work during the weekdays, I also wanted to discover new places in the Toronto area. Since I review books and products, I figure that I could try to get free admission to different attractions in or near Toronto in exchange of a blog post.

One of the first attractions I contacted was the Royal Botanical Gardens which is located about 1 hour and 30 minutes from our campsite. This activity would definitively be a day outing and it would require us to be rested. Imagine my delight when I got a positive response from them. We were set to visit the RBG over the long week-end in May.

So on May 19^th, we drove to Burlington to explore and discover a garden that I have been wanting to see for many years now. I grew up in Montreal and I went many times to the botanical gardens there. I also had the privilege of visiting the Butchart Gardens on Victoria Island in BC when I was in high school. So I was looking forward to see another famous garden located in Ontario.

The weather was sunny and we had prepared a lunch. Already many visitors were coming through the door of the RBG Centre. We got the stamps on our hands and we started t explore. We first went to the Hendrie Park and explored the area there. The paths in the woods were nice and we ate in a section where a wooden bridge was build. In this section of the RBG, there is also where you can discover the vegetable gardens. The only negative point was the numerous Canadian geese fecal matter on the paths near the pond. But being spring and having these visitors on the ground might be difficult to clean regularly.

After this exploration, we went inside the indoor gardens located at the back of the RBG Centre. We had a great time discovering the plants living in a Mediterranean environment. We saw various plants from a warmer climate. There was even a small pond with marvelous fish and we stopped for a few moments to look at them. Apparently, you can also encounter lizards inside the indoor gardens but we haven’t seen any during our visit.

Our last stop, was the Rock Garden. We had to take our car to drive to this area. Fortunately, we had also received a parking pass for the other sections of the Royal Botanical Garden. The Rock Garden ended up being one of our favourite parts of our day. The place is well designed and very interesting to explore. We walked quite a bit in there and even found a fall in the middle of it.

I discovered a marvelous tree called the Golden Chain Tree. It was definitively out of the ordinary and a delight to see.

We visited the RBG Centre, the Hendrie Park and the Rock Garden. But the RBG doesn’t stop there! You can also visit the Arboretum where you can find a Nature Interpretive Centre, the Laking Garden, the Fishway as well as nature sanctuaries called Cootes Paradise, Hendrie Valley, and Escarpment Properties.  Many trails can be found as well and you can explore them with the help of geotrail.   This sound very fun for a family or an outing between friends.

Now keep in mind that we visited the RBG during the spring season and many plants were not out yet. However, we enjoyed discovering the Hendrie Park and the Rock Garden. If we would live in the area, we would surely purchase a yearly membership and take advantage of the numerous activities organized during the year.   After experiencing the beauty of the spring season at RBG, we would love to experience the summer season eventually.   If our stay in Toronto is extended, we would love to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens another time to see the difference.    I personally would really love to discover the rose gardens when they are in blooms.  

RBG is a marvelous garden to explore and discover with your kids.   It could be a great way to incorporate nature studies in your homeschool as well.   Going regularly through all the seasons can help the kids to get a better perspective of life in the woods or in the garden.   We had a blast as a family and we won’t forget our day there.

The Royal Botanical Gardens are located at 680 Plains Road West, Burlington, ON, Canada.   The gardens are opens daily from 10am until 8pm.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the Royal Botanical Gardens for allowing my family to explore their gardens in exchange of a review. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Ark Encounter

Have you heard about the BIG news from Answer in Genesis and the Creation Museum?  They are embarking in an amazing construction project:   building the ark according to the dimensions and size mentioned in the Bible.    The Ark Encounter Project is currently being build on a rolling terrain off Interstate I-75, about 40 miles from the Creation Museum in northern Kentucky (near Cincinnati).

The Ark Encounter will be a one-of-a-kind historically themed attraction which will provide entertainment and education at the same time.    Numerous historical events will be presented in this part which will have a full-size, all-wood Ark at its center.

The plans also include a walled city, the Tower of babel, a first-century Middle Eastern village, a journey in history from Abraham to the parting of the Red Sea, a walk-through aviary, a petting zoo and much more.

I am personally excited about this project and look forward to plan a trip to visit both the Creation museum and the Ark Encounter.    I find that it is important to educate people and present the Bible as it was.   I trust Answer in Genesis in making sure that it will be accurate and educational.    As a homeschooler, I want my kids to visualize the Bible and having Ark Encounter will help to visualize the grandeur of the ark itself.   I am confident that this new theme attraction will be a success.  I sure hope that Middle East food will be offered on site to encourage people to expand their taste buds and to make the experience more real.

The grand opening is schedule for Spring of 2014.    This opening will include about 95% of the planned attractions.  Phase Two will begin based on funding and Ark Encounter attendance and will include a butterfly emporium and a 500-seat indoor theater.

You can participate in the construction by donating to the project.   A peg is 100$, a plank is 1000$ and a beam is 5000$.  To donate, click here.   Depending of the amount you would give, you will receive various gifts.   For example, for the 5000$ donation, you will get free passes to the grand opening and free passes to a special behind the scenes tour.

Stay up-to-date with the information concerning the Ark Encounter by visiting their blog.

As for us, we will be waiting patiently for the grand opening of Ark Encounter.    In the meantime, I will pray that the fundraising will be fructuous and that many will come on board for the project.    I also pray that the schedule and deadlines are meet.  

PS If Ark Encounter is looking for a family to come and review the opening – please do consider us.  *grin*   We would love to cover the opening and the various attractions in a special blog project of ours.   The kids would be involved in this blog as well (in 2014 they will be respectively 6, 8, 10 and 12 (going on 13)).