This week on Pack the Kids, we're diving into all the delicious stops we made on our recent New York City adventure—from the iconic to the quirky! 🍕🥯🍰

We’re sharing what it’s like eating your way through Manhattan with kids and without kids menus. Plus, you’ll hear which place totally surprised us, who ate the most candy, and the best way to get into NYC hotspots.

📍Places Mentioned

Here’s a full roundup of our NYC eats—with links so you can plan your own tasty trip:

• 🍕 Filaga Pizza at Chelsea Market
  – Sicilian-style slices in a fun food hall
• 🍣 TAO Uptown
  – Fancy family sushi dinner in a nightclub-like setting
• 🧁 Dylan’s Candy Bar at Hudson Yards
  – Over-the-top sweets
• 🍝 Eataly NYC Flatiron
  – Fresh pasta, Italian eats, and groceries
• 🐓 Coqodaq
  – Korean fried chicken and caviar nuggets

Follow Us on Instagram! @MarnellFamilyRoadshow

Email us! packthekidspodcast@gmail.com

We want to hear about your adventures too and will choose a few to shout out on the show!

In this episode of Pack the Kids, Sarah, Nash, and Otis get ready for an upcoming trip to New York City by talking all things airport packing, flying with kids, and whether city trips or mountain camping are more fun.

The boys share their best airport tips, debate city vs outdoor travel, and play a round of Truth or Trash about airport rules and Central Park wildlife.

It’s a lighthearted conversation about independence, early flights, family travel routines, and why letting kids pack their own bags might actually be the secret to smoother trips.

If you want to go see Harry Potter on Broadway, and yes, it's in the SPLURGE category, here's the link!

Email us! packthekidspodcast@gmail.com

We want to hear about your adventures too and will choose a few to shout out on the show!

This week, we’re back in one of our favorite food cities—Chicago! 🍴 Otis and Nash join in (hot cocoa in hand) to share laughs, messy bites, and family memories from the Windy City. We dig into the real difference between a Chicago-style hot dog and every other dog on the planet, plus how to properly order an Italian beef sandwich (there’s a trick). Whether you’re all about mustard and sport peppers or just here for the drippy meat napkin vibes, we’ve got you.

You’ll hear:
🌭 What it means when a hot dog is “dragged through the garden”
🥖 Why “dipped” matters when ordering Italian beef
😂 Nash’s sushi food review…
🧼 Otis pranks Dad

📍 Chicago Suburbs Food & Restaurant Links

🍕 Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria

You can order deep‑dish pizzas to your house
Website: https://www.loumalnatis.com/

🍔 Portillo’s Restaurants

legendary chocolate cake (often made into a chocolate cake shake by blending cake right into the milkshake).

https://www.portillos.com/order/

🍣 Bistro Wasabi (Lake in the Hills / Hoffman Estates, IL)

Website: https://thebistrowasabi.com/

Email us! packthekidspodcast@gmail.com

We want to hear about your adventures too and will choose a few to shout out on the show!

This week, we’re in Chicago — and it’s full of flavor, fun, and freezing wind.

Join us as we:

• Sip homemade sparkling cherry soda with a DIY syrup recipe 🍒
• Tour the Balloon Museum where air is art (yes, there’s a giant floating charcoal balloon) 🎈
• Debate our NYE plans (spoiler: sushi wins over parties) 🍣
• Drop kid-approved tips for crushing laser tag at Battle House
• Play Truth or Trash with surprising Chicago facts (why IS it called the "Windy City?")

This episode is part party-prep, part city adventure — perfect for anyone ringing in the new year with snacks and style.

🍒 Cherry Sparkle Syrup Recipe

DIY Cherry Soda Syrup

• 1 cup frozen cherries
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Boil together until soft, blend with immersion blender, and simmer until thick like syrup. Cool and taste. Spoon 2–4 tsp into sparkling water or soda. Add more for sweeter!

➤ Makes NYE sparkle without the champagne.

📍Places Mentioned

🎈 Balloon Museum Chicago – “Air Is Art” exhibit with charcoal balloon, ball pit, and immersive light rooms
🎯 Battle House Laser Tag – where Nash says to move a lot and wear dark colors
🍒 Your Kitchen – for cherry soda adventures and “Would You Rather” debates

Email us! packthekidspodcast@gmail.com

We want to hear about your adventures too and will choose a few to shout out on the show!

This week, Nash takes the lead as we explore Cleveland's tastiest treasures — From over-the-top desserts like bubble waffles and shark donuts to fancy eats at Award-Winning Cordelia, and don't forget classic Italian cookies in Little Italy — this episode is packed with flavor.

We share our top picks for:

• Donuts (yes, there’s a debate)
• Ice cream spots with secret painted chameleons 🦎
• Fancy meals for foodies in training
• Kid-friendly table games to pass the time (no iPads needed!)
• A Truth or Trash game featuring Cleveland food myths 🍩
• Plus a would-you-rather involving pizza hats and donut clothes… obviously.

Cleveland might not have invented the donut, but it definitely knows how to decorate one.

🧁 Grown-up tip: Make your dinner reservations early!
🍕 Kid tip: Be ready with weird games while you wait.
💌 Listener shoutout: Hi Australia!

📍Places Mentioned

🍩 Donuts

• Brew Nuts Taylor Swift Donuts anyone?
  
  
• Stan’s Bakery (Northfield)
  
  
• Peace, Love and Little Donuts
  
  

🍨 Desserts/Ice Cream

• BATTR
  (Bubble waffles + chaos!)
• Mitchell’s Ice Cream – Ohio City & Van Aken
  
  
• Rood Food and Pie
  
  

🍝 Restaurants

• Mia Bella Restaurant – Little Italy
  
  
• Presti’s Bakery – Little Italy
  
  
• Cordelia
  (Cool chef alert!)

Email us! packthekidspodcast@gmail.com

We want to hear about your adventures too and will choose a few to shout out on the show!

We’re in Wyoming, and it’s not just a square on the map—it’s where alpine lakes, mountain waffles, and unexpected weather compete for main character energy.

In this episode of Pack the Kids, we reflect on our time in Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole with kid commentary on everything from huckleberry obsession to hiking highs and lows. From the peaceful vibes at the Laurance Rockefeller Preserve to the literal highs at Corbet’s Cabin (waffles, anyone?), this was one for the books.

We talk about:

• Renting bear spray
• Otis' "Woud you Rather" about good eats vs better eats
• Singing ridiculous songs to get through longer hikes
• The "good" RV Park

This episode is for the families who want their kids to remember the feel of a trail under their feet, not just another day on a screen. Warning: may inspire spontaneous road trip planning.

—

📍 Places Mentioned

• Grand Teton National Park
• Jackson Hole, WY
• Jackson Drug Restaurant (Huckleberry Yummy)
• Jenny Lake
• Corbet’s Cabin (Top of the World Waffles)
• Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve
• Teton Village / Tram Ride / Mangy Moose Restaurant
• Alpine Valley RV Park - great bathrooms and kid approved playground. decent wifi

Email us! packthekidspodcast@gmail.com

We want to hear about your adventures too and will choose a few to shout out on the show!

We're back in Moab, Utah with part 2!

This week, we’re still in the desert — but ditch the hiking boots. We’re eating our way through Moab, Utah and adding a brand new segment: Nash Eats! From surprisingly epic Italian food to donuts worth waking up for, the kids weigh in on their favorite eats. Plus, we visit a rock shop that's basically a museum, keep a positive attitude as Mom goes into every home store, and debate some prehistoric highways and dirt boba. Pack your appetite — and the kids!

Plus:

• 🎒 Tips on how to keep cool
• 🧠 Truth or Trash: Dinosaur Highways and Gemstone Mining
• 🧁 Food truck sprayers and donut diplomacy

📍Eats Mentioned:

Pasta Jays

Moab Food Truck Park

Doughbird Doughnuts

Stay and Do:

Moab Rock Shop

Driving Potash Road

Shopping all along Main Street

Stay at the Hyatt Place Moab

Whether you’re planning your own Moab trip or just wishing it were summer, this one’s for you. Grab some water, and Pack the Kids!

Email us! packthekidspodcast@gmail.com

We want to hear about your adventures too and will choose a few to shout out on the show!

We took the kids to the desert… in July. In this episode, we head to Moab, Utah, to explore Arches National Park during the peak of summer heat. We’ll share what it’s like to watch the sunrise from North Window, how we kept cool with cold cave hideouts and Camelbaks, and why Sand Dune Arch might be your new favorite sandbox.

As always, Nash shares his favorite sights and hikes , Otis delivers some truly spiky Would You Rathers, and we uncover the real reason we ditched the camper van for a hotel.

Plus:

• 🎒 Our must-have desert hiking gear
• 🥾 The "Easy" Hikes when it's over 100 degrees
• 🧠 Truth or Trash: Arches, animals, and Indiana Jones

📍Places Mentioned:

Hikes we did:

Turret Arch Trail

Skyline Arch Trail

Double Arch Trail

Sand Dune Arch

Windows Loop- North Window (for the sunrise)

- Windows Primitive Trail -definitely download your "All Trails" Map (also an app) and keep it close because it's easy to go off trail.

Park Avenue Trail

Stay with a pool:

Stay at the Hyatt Place Moab

Whether you’re planning your own Moab trip or just wishing it were summer, this one’s for you. Grab some water, and Pack the Kids!

Email us! packthekidspodcast@gmail.com

We want to hear about your adventures too and will choose a few to shout out on the show!