Can’t decide where to go or what to do for the weekend? For 2013, we’ll suggest not 1 or 10, but 52 places you can take the family to, whether for a day trip or for a weekend getaway! That’s one for each week of the year, so start filling in your calendar now!
Your first stops for January: Intramuros and the parks of Quezon City. Enjoy the outdoors while the cool January weather lasts!
January 5: Old Manila Walks
Looking for an amusing yet educational way to spend the day with the family? Want to learn more about the city of Manila and its history and culture? Look no further than Old Manila Walks where Ivan Man Dy and Anson Yu can take you on a journey of discovery and even some good eats!
Why go there: Old Manila Walks takes you on walking tours through Intramuros, Far Eastern University and even has a tour that samples various tasty dishes from all sorts of places in Chinatown.
Family-friendly factor: The ground they cover is at a reasonable pace for 2-3 hours. Ivan and Anson are great with folks of all ages and they and their team makes sure that everyone is secure and doesn’t just wander off.
May cost you: Call them for details.
Fun factoid: Ivan sometimes dresses in a traditional Chinese robe, complete with queue to get him and everyone into the spirit of things. He usually does this for the Chinatown tour.
Contact details:
Old Manila Walks
Address: Most bookings are by phone or online. Once a tour is booked, the meeting place and time will be designated. Usually, it’s somewhere in Binondo, Intramuros or Far Eastern University.
Landline / Mobile: 711-3823, (+63918) 962-6452
Website: http://www.oldmanilawalks.com/
Photo by Caryl Joan Estrosas via flickr creative commons
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January 12: Bahay Tsinoy
Filipinos and Chinese have a unique and rich history that goes back over many, many centuries. Bahay Tsinoy serves to highlight that history through ancient artifacts, lifelike reproductions and revealing stories. Take the family through the ages with Bahay Tsinoy and rediscover a part of your shared past.
Why go there: Bahay Tsinoy is a specialized museum that shows Filipino-Chinese culture, and the anecdotes, dioramas and relics found there are exclusive to the Philippine setting. It’s definitely worth having a look-see.
Family-friendly factor: Bahay Tsinoy is in Intramuros, which in itself is a great place to spend the day. There are lots of good restaurants and historical sites nearby to make it an activity for the afternoon.
May cost you: P100 for adults and P60 for students and children
Fun factoid: Try to find names that sound like Licauco, Syquia, Uytioco or Gosengfiao. Those are examples of Hispanized Chinese names and they’re all from the Philippines. No other country in the world has people with names like that – others that do have foreign roots (Americans, Europeans, etc.) can still trace their family trees to the Philippines.
Contact details:
Bahay Tsinoy
Address: Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center, 32 Anda cor. Cabildo Streets, Intramuros, 1002 Manila, Philippines
Landline: 527-6083, 526-6796, 527-6085
Website: www.bahaytsinoy.org
Photo from Bahay Tsinoy’s Facebook page
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January 19: Quezon Memorial Circle
Sadly, there is a dearth of parks in Metro Manila. However, the Quezon Memorial Circle is still one of the best places to take the family out for a day.
Why go there: The actual tomb of President Manuel L. Quezon is an imposing sight, surrounded by frescoes of white marble and art deco statues. The monument also has a museum at the bottom showcasing some of the most important events of the last few decades. At night, the whole place comes alive with color-changing lights and dancing fountains.
Family-friendly factor: There are lots of benches to set up a picnic and lots of open spaces for toys requiring remote controls or a strong throwing arm. Bikes and pedal cars are available for rental and there’s even a boat station for taking rides around a man-made lagoon. There’s a playground for younger children and a zipline for older ones.
May cost you: P10 to enter. P70 for the bikes, P40 for the pedal cars, P200 for the zipline.
Fun factoid: Fitness buffs enjoy coming here for jogging and calisthenics but Quezon Memorial Circle is home to several different martial arts teachers who are versed in various styles of arnis, kuntao, taichi, kung fu and wushu.
Contact details:
Quezon City Memorial Circle
Address: Elliptical Road, Brgy. Central Diliman, Quezon City 1100 Philippines
Landline / Mobile: 444-7272
Website: www.quezoncity.gov.ph
Photo by roxj via flickr creative commons
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January 26: Pook Ligaya
Most children love riding horses. And then there are children that LOVE riding horses. For those who are seriously into it, Pook Ligaya Riding Stables is the right place to get a good start – and right in the heart of Quezon City, to boot.
Why go there: Pook Ligaya is the closest thing Manila has to an equestrian school. Kids and adults alike can learn all the insides and outs about how to ride horses here from Violet de Leon, the daughter of Pook Ligaya’s manager, Totti de Leon.
Family-friendly factor: Although normally considered a place to learn proper horsemanship, weekends are a great way for kids to learn how to properly bond with horses. Guides are available to safely take children for rides around the area.
May cost you: Contact Pook Ligaya for details.
Fun factoid: For the truly determined equestrian, you may eventually have to spring for the ensemble of helmet, breeches, riding boots and riding crop.
Contact details:
Pook Ligaya Riding Stables
Address: 1 Ligaya St, Isidora Hills Subdivision, Diliman QC
Landline / Mobile: 931-5643
Website: look up Pook Ligaya Stables on Facebook and Foursquare
Watch for the next batch of family-friendly places in February!
Flashbox image from www.uckg.hk
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