4 ways to show visitors a good time without losing your mind
Slime, safari, outlet malls: Something for everyone 6- to 80-years-old
There’s a scene in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation when each member of the Griswold family is enjoying private, peaceful moments to themselves…
Rusty’s watching TV.
Audrey’s listening to music.
Ellen’s writing cards.
Clark’s messing with his Santa beard.
And then the doorbell rings.
All hell breaks loose as Clark’s parents and in-laws barge through the front door.
This is not unlike the whirlwind that took place this past week when my visiting relatives from Taiwan descended upon Charlotte, North Carolina.
This was not their first rodeo; they came about 10 years ago.
Only this time, my aunt, uncle, and cousin were joined by her two young boys, for whom it was their first time visiting.
The entire first leg of their trip, intended to be a week in Washington, D.C., was fraught with bad luck given flight cancellations from typhoon Bavi.
I should disclose that my cousin is a longtime flight attendant, so there is an added uncertainty at times with the probability of securing tickets via buddy passes and standby status.
But they made it in the end.
Once they arrived at my brother’s house, the kids started screaming in a unique decibel range as his big dogs approached them, but everyone got settled down and the warm welcome was without incident.
It’s no small feat to entertain a group ranging in age from 6 to 80, with folks in between in their 20s (almost), 30s, 40s, and 50s.
But danggit, we did it.
Today’s newsletter: Family in town, foreigners at Wal-Mart, and an itinerary for all ages. Plus: Zeitgeist-y!
Luckily for me, I didn’t have to host anyone at my house, but I can only imagine how exhausted everyone else is.
I’m Shindy. I sold my financial content company, worked in finance, and now I write this weekly culture, money, and lifestyle Substack. I am a journalist and bestselling author featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Bankrate, Cheddar TV, and HuffPost. If you haven’t yet, and would like to join more than 7,200 “shin-siders” on the internet who follow me then tap the button below:
If you have any visiting relatives from out-of-town then consider my playbook for hosting everyone without losing your mind:
Divide and conquer activities by age
There are few activities that can handle entertaining children as young as 6 and seniors as old as 80. For most things, we divided and conquered:
Museum of Illusions: This is the one activity everyone (except me) participated in. While I wasn’t able to attend, they all had a grand old time. Tickets from $33
Sloomoo Institute: When was the last time you played with slime?
This was a total sensory experience and the boys had so much fun.
The staff was excellent and patient in showing off cool tricks, and there are so many interactive experiences that hold young children’s attention, like a room where music plays when you touch corresponding slimes, or a room where a laser art beam follows you around.
The best part of course is making your own slime in the color and scent of your choice. I chose eternal silver with sparkles, with a scent of tuberose. Tickets from $29Slick City: Slides. Tons of them. I can’t think of a better way to burn energy than this place where kids climb up stairs and slide back down all sorts of wacky slides, with one that launches you in the air at the end—basically every kid’s dream:
There’s even a bouncy basketball court where you can try dunking.
Tickets from $30 + required socks $5/pairLazy 5 Ranch: My niece took the younger contingent to a drive-thru petting zoo where you stay in your car like you’re on safari, though you can also buy a small feed bucket to roll down your windows and feed the animals.
Admission: $15 per adult, $11 for children and seniors, $3 feed buckets. Cash onlyCar show: I took the younger group to Cars & Coffee to look at flash and unique cars, but by 10:30am it was pushing 90 degrees F, so we had to retreat. Free!
Greenway walking: The older adults took walks under shaded greenways, but the heat was always a factor so they had to finish walking well before noon. Free!
What we considered but ultimately nixed: Outdoor amusement parks.
A good idea in theory, but with dangerously high temps and one kid on the shorter side, we decided this wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience.
Take them shopping
We took my aunt and uncle shopping at the following places:
Coach outlet: Coach has been enjoying its status as a comeback brand for the past 5 years or so, and their handbags are just as popular overseas.
Wal-Mart: The OG. The group was in search of supplements, which I guess are more expensive and harder to find in Taiwan. Foreigners love a good Wal-Mart. The size and scale and the inventory are awe-inspiring.
Target: Again, in search of supplements.
Take them out to eat
We took the group to many local restaurants, including:
131 Main: If Hillstone had a carbon copy, this would be it. Even the grilled artichokes, which are always on the menu at the Bal Harbour Hillstone but are never actually available, were also on the menu at the south Charlotte location but not available. Lol
Grey’s Diner: A relatively new diner with farm-sourced favorites. We went for breakfast and everyone loved the yeast waffles
Community Matters: A breakfast spot with a fantastic uptown view. My tartine with salmon on sourdough was delish
The Goodyear House: An all-around crowd pleaser in a beautiful space with diverse American options. Kids eat free on Tuesdays!
Plot Twist: Grabbed matcha and coffee drinks and iced chocolate drinks for the kids
Lee Cafe: Szechuan Chinese takeout that satisfied everyone’s tastebuds
Cook if you can
For everything else, we cooked at home and alternated hosting duties.
Breakfasts were handled at home, and we also managed three cooked or semi-cooked dinners including one where we ordered Finale Pizza and I cooked the sides.
Phew! Now I need to take a nap.
What about you? How have you hosted or entertained visiting family members? I’d love to know!
📺 I’m watching:
Obsession, In theatres, Apple TV, Peacock
A fun, gory, chaotic, and disjointed film. It’s a wild ride worth a single watch. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of Inde Navarette in the future — she’s a star!Passenger, Prime
I had high hopes for this horror film when I saw the trailer in theatres; turns out the trailer was vastly superior to the film, which was also about 40 minutes too long. Sigh. Editors really need to be less precious.
Widow’s Bay, Apple TV. Finished and enjoyed! But, so many questions about the ending…which I imagine will be answered in season 2.
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Until next time,
Shindy
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