Recommendations behave like mini plans
Cards surface age fit, duration, what to bring, and a backup note so you can decide quickly without opening five more tabs.
sample planner
Build a practical Richmond plan
The planner is the product center: pick a time window, neighborhood, budget, weather posture, and energy level, then get a short list that explains why it fits and what to do if the first idea slips.
Sample planner brief
Looking for a today plan around The Fan for 2 kids, with balanced energy, a free budget, any-weather expectations, and about 1-2-hours to work with.
Sample ranked options
Recommendations should feel like mini plans: useful on their own, easy to scan, and linked into richer detail pages when you need more context.
low-prep placetimed eventshort-plan bundle
Neighborhood Park Loop
It is the easiest low-friction option near The Fan when you need a 1-2-hours plan that still feels worthwhile.
Riverfront Sunset Concert
It adds a stronger local anchor when balanced energy still leaves room for one timed stop and a simple exit.
After-Naptime Quick Wins
It keeps the planner honest for today decisions when you want one usable route instead of a sprawling roundup.
What the planner keeps visible
The docs call for calm, practical recommendations instead of magical ranking with no explanation.
The backup stays visible
If timing, weather, or kid energy changes, the planner widens carefully instead of pretending the first choice is still perfect.
Freshness is part of the recommendation
Time-sensitive ideas carry explicit review notes, while evergreen places stay readable without pretending nothing ever changes.
Fallback posture
Fallback notes are product behavior, not hidden implementation details.
- If the first option depends on timing, keep one evergreen place or collection visible as the immediate backup.
- If weather or energy changes, widen toward indoor-safe or lower-prep options before widening the neighborhood too far.
- If freshness feels uncertain, surface the uncertainty plainly instead of pretending a timed event is fully planner-ready.
Try a different planning shape
Even in a sample-driven MVP, the planner should show how the same system adapts to different windows and constraints.
Right now, low friction
You need a plan in the next hour or two and want one easy outing with a clean backup.
- The Fan
- 1 to 2 hours
- Free-first
- Mixed weather
- Balanced energy
Rainy-day rescue
Weather broke the first plan, so you need an indoor-safe option that still feels worth leaving for.
- Downtown
- Under 90 minutes
- Free
- Indoor
- Lower energy
Weekend half-day
You have a little more time and want one stronger local outing with a fallback if the plan stretches too far.
- The Fan
- Half-day
- Under $25
- Mixed
- Weekend plan
Nearby supporting routes
The planner remains the front door, but strong collection and digest pages give the next click somewhere durable to land.
Decision bundleRoundupdigest
Easy Backup Plan
A conservative decision bundle for days when weather, energy, or timing changes fast.
Weekend Family Picks
A compact starter roundup built around one indoor option, one big mixed-mode outing, and one easy outdoor reset.
Today
A short, curated digest for the immediate planning window when you need a plausible option fast.