Your Kind of Spa Town

Closer to home is Richmond. Shop at On the Avenues, an area around the intersection of Libbie and Grove avenues. Visit the well-regarded Science Museum of Virginia and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The Children's Museum of Richmond has a special exhibit called "Dinosaurs of China" that runs through Sept. 6. Theater is not as extensive as what you'd find in a bigger city, but this summer the Barksdale Theatre is doing a fun-sounding production, "Where's Charley?," about two young men who try to escape from their chaperon to see their girlfriends. Contact the Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, 888-RICHMOND, www.richmondva.org.

I'm a widow who'd like to travel to England with my two small kids, 4 and 9, to celebrate my 40th birthday. I thought a cruise around the British Isles might offer a measure of security, and the kids could use the program on the ship if they don't want to tour castles with me. Do these cruises exist? Any other ideas?

M. Dingle

Laurel

I think your concerns are well placed. We took our children to England when they were in fourth and sixth grades, respectively, and after a few days of touring cathedrals and castles, they were much relieved when we visited friends and they could play outdoors.

There are family-oriented land tours of that region, such as Tauck Bridges (866-636-6500, www.tauckbridges.com), which offers the weeklong "Castles and Kings: London to Paris" family tour, for example, starting at $2,690 per adult double, plus air. But these sorts of tours focus on older children -- your 4-year-old may be too young to enjoy long days of sightseeing.

Most cruises that do the British Isles itinerary attract an older crowd, and many don't offer youth programs. Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas (800-327-6700, www.royalcaribbean.com), though, is an exception. The new ship, which offers a rock-climbing wall, sports deck and youth programs, has a 12-night trip from Harwich, England, that visits Ireland, Scotland, Norway and Holland, with prices starting at $1,799 per person double. You could add a couple days in London to see the Tower of London and other sites the kids would enjoy; a good resource is www.kidslovelondon.com.