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Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Thanksgiving Point Family Pass

For most of the 14+ years I've lived in Utah, I didn't really know what to think of Thanksgiving Point. I mean, what is that place? As far as I knew, it had a big tower, a petting zoo, and a movie theater. And I was right . . . but only a very, very little bit right. Thanksgiving Point is so much more.

According to Thanksgiving Point's website:

With quality at the core of what we do, we contribute to the lives of individuals, families and communities by offering experiences that change lives through The Promise of Discovery.

Thanksgiving Point Gardens, the Children’s Discovery Garden, Farm Country, and the Museum of Ancient Life, and the Emporium and restaurants offer stimulating and engaging experiences in a safe, family-friendly setting. They foster learning, bring families closer together and provide beautiful gathering places for groups of all kinds, giving them opportunities to share their cultural heritage and common bonds.

Hands-on discovery is delivered through innovative educational courses, day camps and field trips. Educational offerings are designed for every age group, from toddlers to adults. ...

Experiences at Thanksgiving Point offer discovery with a flair that is unique. Because of the creativity that is paramount in the design of our venues and programs, people who engage in the Promise of Discovery have a one-of-a-kind adventure that is both memorable and life-changing.

I was invited, with a group of fantastic local bloggers, to participate in a Holiday Tour at Thanksgiving Point, and let me tell you: what a treat. Really. We began in the Emporium Kitchen where we sampled from Harvest Restaurant's dinner menu.


Rock Shrimp Nachos -- I'm glad to have tried it, I'd order it for dinner. It's got just a hint of sweet mixed in with that chile.


Dinner menu


The chef serving up our next treat. Excusing the poor-quality picture, notice the screen above the counter: perfect setting for the cooking classes offered.


Harvest Butternut Squash Soup with Curried Baked Pumpkin Seeds. Go ahead and drool, I may have. It was perfect.

After our tastebuds danced around, we learned how to make a simple craft (neighbor gift, anyone?) by planting a paper white bulb in a soup can and making it pretty. This kind woman was moving around so quickly while teaching us, it was difficult for me to get a photo of her, but in the end, I think my craft was exactly what she had in mind.






Following our hands-on activity, one of the retail designers described a year-in-the-life of someone who has her job, and guess what: it's Christmas all the time for her. The designers at Thanksgiving Point work year-round to ensure that the latest styles are accessible to those of us who visit, and getting ready for the Holiday Season begins in January. The design team is dedicated, focused, and on top of things in a way that makes my imagination spin. Their efforts are beautifully displayed in the Emporium, where each room has its own unique style of what's available, from furniture and clothing to decor. After a tour of the Emporium, we got to head downstairs to see the behind-the-scenes and inventory of this retail wonderland.

To round out our evening, we boarded the trolley, hot chocolate in hand to sip as we took a tour of the Holiday Lights. I will be taking my family to this display. I think it would be perfect in, or just after, a light snowfall.

As a thank-you for attending the evening's events, Thanksgiving Point provided me with a 2011 Annual Family Pass (disclosure). I have to admit, when I first found out about the family pass, I was hesitant to be excited because so often a 'Family Pass' means 2 adults, 2 children, and I don't like having to choose which of my kids gets to go for free, or debating whether or not to even use the pass since I'd end up having to pay more, even with my Free Pass. Imagine how thrilled I was to read that Thanksgiving Point's Family Membership is, "...for all members of your immediate family under age 18 living at home." That's right - ALL members. An actual family pass that is good for your entire family.

And imagine how nice it will be for you to present a 2011 Annual Family Pass to your own family on Christmas morning.

Thanksgiving Point has given me a membership (value: $175) to award to one reader of my blog. Remember, this is good for all of next year, so in addition to making your holiday plans ahead of time, be sure to enjoy the Museum of Ancient Life, Farm Country, The heralded Golf Course, and the Gardens throughout the year. (And look for fun events, like the 5K I participated in earlier this year.)

Here's what's included:
~ Free Admission to Thanksgiving Point Gardens, Museum of Ancient Life, and Farm Country for all members of your immediate family under age 18 living at home
~ 10% Discount on Retail & Food Property Wide
~ Monthly Thanksgiving Point Gazette
~ E-Mail Blast
~ Personalized Membership Card
~ 50% off Admissions for accompanied guests
~ Early Admission to Thanksgiving Point Gardens
~ Mammoth Screen Movies Discount, $5 per person/per movie

Explore and enjoy.

This giveaway ends on Monday, December 13th, 2010, at 11:59 pm MST. Each of the following is worth an entry:

~ Leave a comment telling me what you'd most enjoy doing at Thanksgiving Point
~ Follow @formerlyphread on twitter, tweet about this giveaway, and leave a comment on this post with a link to your tweet**
~ Become a fan of formerly phread on facebook, and leave a comment on this post telling me you've done so
~ Update your facebook status with a link to this giveaway, and leave a comment on this post with a link to your status

** The tweet entry can be done daily, so remember to comment each time you do it, with a link to the tweet

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, December 14th. The winner will email me their mailing address, and I will send them their prize.

Good luck, everyone! And thanks to Thanksgiving Point for hosting such a nice holiday tour.

107 comments:

Barb said...

My toddler loves the little zoo, especially the pony rides!

Carina said...

I really, really want to win this. For the kids.

Carina said...

I tweeted!

kacy faulconer said...

I want a free pass and if I win it I will go there all the time!

Barb said...

I follow you on Twitter and I tweeted. http://twitter.com/#!/getupandplay/status/12211575662321664

Barb said...

I facebooked http://www.facebook.com/barbaralynnthornton/posts/171439809546005

Semi Granola Mom said...

Please enter me!
We have yet to go to their dinosaur museum and I know the kiddles would love it!

~C

Semi Granola Mom said...

ps of course I am a facebook follower :)

thanks for contest op!

~C

stacey said...

I would love this! There is so much to do there. My daughter loves Farm Country.

stacey said...

Tweeted @staceymay

stacey said...

Like your blog on FB

99beetle said...

We love to visit the Gardens and the shops at Thanksgiving Point. Also, some of the nicest receptions we've been to have been held there.

The Van Leeuwen Family said...

we LOVE Thanksgiving Point - in fact the Tulip Festival there is one of our favorite family traditions (my husband served his mission in Holland & LOVES to share that bit of Holland with our family each year)!

Nicole Maki said...

What an awesome giveaway.

My favorite is the tulip festival each year. Were also big fans of the man-made waterfalls.

Nicole Maki said...

I liked you on FB :-)

Kate said...

I'm already a fan of yours on FB, and I don't have a twitter account. But I do have this comment.

And it's my birthday today, so that should count for something.

If I win this pass, I won't actually use it, because the commute to get there from London would be way too long. But I would give it to one of my very deserving sisters. I would decide on which sister after they completed various tasks involving bravery, mad ninja skills, equestrian and maybe pottery making. I'm still undecided.

Anonymous said...

I would love this. My kids and I like the dinosaurs.

Nancy said...

We love the Dinosaur Museum and Farm Country soo much. My little boy would be in heaven if I won.

lucky04you@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Tweeted @imaginaryzina

Jennifer Rodriguez said...

We love the dino museum - my kiddos can't get enough!

Jennifer Rodriguez said...

Following you on Facebook!
:D

Living the Scream said...

I love thanksgiving point but have never seen the gardens! That is what I would do.

Jen said...

Liam LOVES the dinosaur museum and the rest of us love to walk in the gardens.

The redhead said...

I've been meaning to stop by this place for um, seven years now, but never have. Sounds like tons of fun.

Kristen said...

tulip festival!!

girlsmama said...

I love the museum! So do my kids. :)

Molly L. Phillipps said...

My 4 boys would love to go to the dino museum all the time. Me - I ADORE the gardens.

Molly L. Phillipps said...

I like you on FB!

Carrot Jello said...

Well, when you give away a plane ticket to Utah with this, call me.
I like you anyway.

Unknown said...

My daughter works at an office building at Thanksgiving point and gets to see that stuff regularly but I've only seen the dino-museum! I need to check it out more when I'm up next time!

Megan @ Megity's Handmade said...

We love the childrens garden! This would be so fun to get and have fun outings with my little family!

Jane of Seagull Fountain said...

I love Thanksgiving Point! -- even if they did drop me from their blogger list (sniff).

dalene said...

I want one. I really do.

Libby said...

Tweeted the give away here:
https://twitter.com/Rue39

Libby said...

Like fp on Fabcebook.

Libby said...

Since I live just at the point of the mountain I would use this membership SOOOOOO much. My little guy loves the dinos and the farm country! The family goes to the movies there all the time since it's not very crowded...like, at all! I love to browse & shop & eat. Maybe I'd even get to take some classes :)

Annette Lyon said...

I've here since TP was built and have yet to visit the Dinosaur Museum. That's what I'd do first!

Annette Lyon said...

Already like FP on FB!

Annette Lyon said...

I already follow on Twitter.

And I tweeted!

Semi Granola Mom said...

Oh, I facebooked it too, sorry forgot to mention that :D

~C

{natalie} said...

I would love to win.

I plant paperwhites in January every year and just picked up my bulbs today.

{natalie} said...

I am a FB fan for life

Kemp Kuties said...

The farm, the museum, the gardens, and Santa + reindeers at Christmas time...could Thanksgiving Point get any awesomer? I will be giving Tony the cooking class schedule as his Christmas gift (or maybe he should give it to me).

Anyways, since I don't tweet or facebook, count this as my entry. May the best mom of twin win!

Emily said...

We love the dino museum (especially the sand/water erosion play area--they could be content for hours!) and our membership expires in a few months so this would be perfect.

Emily said...

Facebook fan too. Thanks!

Heather said...

I love taking my kids to the museum because its four walls that they can run in and they are "mostly" contained. The gardens, the ice cream, you name it we love it!

Heather said...

I follow follow you on the facebook

Heather said...

I fan you on the facebook

Julee said...

We love the children's garden!

Leslie said...

I love the Gardens, especially the Tulip festival! I would love to win this for my family!

Leslie said...

I'm a fan on facebook!

Cranberryfries said...

My three little ones enjoy the farm and the museum. I haven't been to the lights yet or cornbellys (though my sister took my kids) but I've heard such great things about them. Hoping to catch the lights this year.

Cranberryfries said...

I follow you on twitter @cranberryfrie

Cranberryfries said...

I tweeted about it http://twitter.com/cranberryfries/status/12541075352715264

Cranberryfries said...

I am a fan on facebook now

Angiegirl said...

Thank you for this great giveaway. I would mostly love just wandering the gardens with my kids. And dropping by the farm now and then. :)

Stepper the Mighty said...

Y'mean even though I'm poor as dirt, I might not have to be BORED next year??? Please oh please pick me!

Also: I used to work at Thanksgiving Point. back when they had the Garden Wall Restaurant. Did you know they call it a 'univserity'? Because they teach. And it's non-profit. they used to grow all the food they used in the restaurant themselves (all the produce, I mean). Don't know if they still do.

And you can get 50¢ ice cream cones for the kiddies!

Emily said...

Oh, I'd love this. Their gardens are so pretty.

Emily said...

I Facebook statused!

Emily said...

And...I liked your facebook page. yippee!

Michelle Quist Mumford said...

I'd love to take the kids to see the lights.

{KALLI JO} said...

tulip gardens!
babie_kalli24@hotmail.com

Amy said...

I love thanksgiving point. They have a wonderful grandparents pass too. That's typically the way we do it because I'm not available to go with my girls as much as they are.

PS The soup does look perfect.

Cherloo said...

Love to see the Museum!!
cher_theblondeprincess@hotmail.com

cake expectations said...

Love the tulip festival there.

cake expectations said...

put your link in my FB status!

cake expectations said...

like you on FB

Ryley @ That's My Family! said...

I would sit in the ice cream shop and eat ice cream all day.. want to come with me?? :)

Ryley @ That's My Family! said...

tweet tweet friend.. @ryles

sayer13 said...

I love Thanksgiving Point and would love to win a family pass. I now live in Idaho but my family all live in Lehi so I visit frequently. This would also give me extra excuses (HA!) to visit more often. Here's hoping!
Marsha - sayer13@hotmail.com

Tauni said...

What a solid overview J! Hopefully my write up, which yes is late, will be half as good :)

Michelle J. said...

I would love to finally go to the Tulip Festival!

Ashlee Marie said...

I am like you, I've never "gotten" thanksgiving point. I mean we liked the kids area as much as the next person, but I never thought it was anything else. Seeing all the fun stuff they showed you and the other bloggers I'm intrigued now! I think I really want to try out the food classes

Ashlee Marie said...

following you on twitter

Ashlee Marie said...

I'm a fan on facebook!

Juls said...

I look forward to the Tulip Festival Every year!

juls.jean@gmail.com

Juls said...

I'm a fan of formerly phread on FB.

amyegodfrey said...

I've been to Butchart Gardens in British Columbia and Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia, yet I rave to people about Thanksgiving Point Gardens- Utah's very own splendor! With my two kids and their families living nearby, you can bet this pass would get used.

stacey said...

Tweeted today @staceymay

Anonymous said...

We love the dinosaur museum, farm country, the gardens, we just love this place.
rosanova_family@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

We follow you on Twitter, too
@rosanovfamily
rosanova_family@comcast.net

plaidspolitics said...

My favorite thing to do at Thanksgiving Point is take pictures. Because there are so many fun things to do there, it makes my family happy which makes for good pictures. Plus, they have the best scenery for pictures. The kids always pose as if they are holding the world at the end of the Dino museum exhibit. Pony rides are great photo-ops at the Farm. No matter the season at the Gardens, it's always beautiful - but don't miss the Tulip Festival ( or the nesting geese and owls). I would really like to win an annual Family Pass.

plaidspolitics said...

I'm following you on twitter. Here is my tweet about the giveaway: http://mobile.twitter.com/plaidspolitics/status/13263250669961217

plaidspolitics said...

I became a fan of formerly phread on Facebook.

plaidspolitics said...

I posted a link on my latest Facebook update. But I have no idea how to post a link to the update. Hopefully this post and my word will do?

Mrs. O said...

Oh my goodness, my kids (even the older ones) love uncovering the dinosaur bones.

plaidspolitics said...

Here's the link to my facebook post: http://www.facebook.com/#!/marie.nuccitelli/posts/175861549099055

mel said...

I'd love to win this! Thanksgiving Point just has so much fun stuff; love the gardens.

Natalie said...

We love Thanksgiving Point!

Nisha said...

We love Farm Country. Well...we love it all. My young toddlers would enjoy weekly visits to Farm country!

Nisha said...

I just fanned you on FB!

lesa said...

I love the gardens, especially the tulip festival. This would be THE most awesome thing to win ever.

Baby Mama said...

I would love to go to the museum
sarahlovesvegas@hotmail

Jokilyn said...

I'd go to the Dino museum - my 2 year old would love it and we've never been before! Or the petting zoo/farm!

Jokilyn said...

I'm a fan on FB!

Joel R Wallin said...

I would take my boys to the Dino's every month, they love it so.

Becky said...

My family would love this. We just moved here from Las Vegas and have yet to go to Thanksgiving Point but we hear good things about it. I would love to see the lights, go shopping and of course EAT!!!

Please pick me my email is hutchings_rebecca@yahoo.com

Ryley @ That's My Family! said...

tweet tweet! 'cuz we need some DINOS!!!! :)

Michaela said...

My family LOVES the Dinosaur Museum!

Michaela said...

Tweeted (http://twitter.com/#!/mishifishib/status/14554232384393216)

Thanks for the chance to win!

Michaela said...

Retweeted!

Michaela said...

Became a fan of formerly phread today!

Michaela said...

'Shared' your link on my Facebook page! I don't know how to link to it but you can go to Michaela Boothe on Facebook to see it!

Thanks again for the chance to win!

Anonymous said...

I would love love LOVE to win this pass - we are huge Thanksgiving Point fans and enjoy pretty much all their activities, though my favorite is to take my kids to the gardens in the early evenings during the summer and watch the sunset while we explore.

Crossing all my fingers and toes!

- Lauren Horsley (supermomcentral@yahoo.com)

Anonymous said...

I tweeted too!

http://twitter.com/supermomcentral/status/14570297256574976

Anonymous said...

Also Fanned you on Facebook!

(crossing my eyes now too!)

- Lauren

stacey said...

We love Tpoint. My favorite is the gardens. The kids love it too! I'm off to tweet!