Thank you to the Gaylord Opryland for providing accommodations and tickets to ICE!. All thoughts and words are my own.
Our family has always talked about going to see the lights at the Gaylord Opryland just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. We enjoy driving around and seeing our local light displays; we even once visited a display set to music. And the Gaylord Opryland also has other fun holiday events, like a Shrek Holiday Feast, ICE! Featuring Frosty the Snowman, shops, a nativity, and more.
So when the lovely folks at the hotel offered for us to come down and check out the ICE! Featuring Frosty the Snowman display, we of course accepted. I thought Bubbles would get a kick out of the brightly-colored ice figurines and spending a night on such a beautiful property sounded great, too. And as the Gaylord Opryland is within convenient driving distance from us, it was a good fit to go.
Gaylord Opryland
After checking in, we wound our way up through a beautiful indoor atrium in what is called the Cascades area. It’s aptly named as there’s actually a cascading waterfall on one side of the atrium. On the other is one the hotel’s main restaurants, the Cascades American Cafe. The dress is casual – the seating is open to the atrium – and upon check in it was the eatery recommended to us as one of the most family-friendly spots in the hotel.Continue reading »
Summer is here and that means a lot of families will be taking vacations. Many of the folks I’ve talked to, though, have said they’re likely doing close-to-home roadtrips or staycations this year due to the economy. I thought I would share with you all some ideas for vacationing close to home.
This week’s ideas will be as close to home as you can get – your own backyard! You could also have them in your family room if the weather doesn’t cooperate or if you don’t have a backyard (or if you’re not a fan of bugs!).
Today’s idea is for a Backyard Hawaiian Trip and Luau!Continue reading »
This post brought to you by PA Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.
Are you planning a roadtrip this summer? We’ve discussed the idea of taking a short one or two, but with a wide range of tastes in the family, sometimes it can be a challenge to find something everyone will love. A1 isn’t a fan of being on the water or being in the heat; A2 would really love to go on a tropical cruise; and Bubbles is too young for a lot of activities.
And even after you’re all able to agree on something, the actual planning can be a little bit of a challenge, especially if you don’t know well the area to which you’re traveling. With the introduction of the Roadtrip-a-Matic, Visiting PA has come up with a creative way to address this problem if you are planning pa-roadtrips. You can visit their site, pick your favorite roadtrip theme, and off you go!
For example, when I visited their site I saw one titled Kidsylvania. There were three cities highlighted – Philly, Pittsburgh, and the Alleghenies – and under each city they list out for you a 3-day itinerary. The itineraries suggest lodging, eateries, and places to stop and interact. They also have printable PDFs and maps for you to make it even easier.
What about all of you? Out of all the roadtrips the Roadtrip-a-Matic lists, which one would you most like to take with your family?
Are you traveling this summer? We don’t have any trips planned until we head to Maine in October for my brother’s wedding, but we are already looking forward to a family vacation next summer and making plans for a bigger trip in either 2013 or 2014. Finding ways to save on travel has always been my M.O. and with the economy still not doing all that well, I know that people are looking for ways to save more so than ever before.
Wilderness Lodge
One option that you may want to consider is a timeshare rental. Timeshare rentals are typically up to 50% cheaper than hotels and can allow you to stay at luxury hotels or resorts that you may not have found to be inside your budget through regular retail. Not only can they be less expensive but you’re getting more space; timeshares have separate bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, a kitchen and either a balcony or a patio.
The kitchens are one of the things that make timeshare rentals such a great value. You have a full-sized and fully-stocked food prep and storage area available 24 hours a day. Instead of having to get up early and try and get your group showered and ready for the day in time to have breakfast you can sleep in an extra few minutes, grab an inexpensive breakfast at the rental, and then start your day.
Nassau, Bahamas
Most resorts also have great entertainment for the kiddos (and adults!). Pools are pretty standard and most have waterpark features, hot tubs, playgrounds, tennis courts and arcade rooms. Some rental properties also have mini-golf, volleyball, and bocci ball tourneys. If you’d like to get a little social and meet new people while you’re traveling, some rental resorts host arts and crafts classes, ice cream socials and BBQ cookouts.
So how do you find a rental? Well, you can start by searching a site like RedWeek.com. RedWeek got it’s name from the term “red week”, which in the timeshare industry refers to a prime time to own a timeshare. Relating the term to their company, RedWeek feels they are the best in the business. They are the largest online timeshare marketplace with more than 1.5 million registered users and they have an A+ Better Business Bureau rating.
Honolulu, Hawaii
I searched around their site and one thing I found really excited me. There are rentals listed for Disney properties! And not just at Disney World, but also in Hawaii and Hilton Head. I’ve always wanted to stay in a DVC property, and this site would allow me to do that. Prices for Disney rentals start at about $100/night which is very reasonable. If you don’t have a set destination in mind like I did, just check out their main page; it has a quick-look at the top rental destinations (Bahamas from $57/night? Hmm…..)
If you’re considering a timeshare vacation, or you’d just like to learn more about some of the resort locations, a paid membership to RedWeek.com allows you access to reviews, contact information and more. And one of you will win a free 2-year membership!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.
We’ve covered the planning, the shower, the gifts, the ceremony and the reception. Now that all the work is done, it’s time for play – the honeymoon!
This might sound a little crazy, but I actually enjoy packing. And I think I’m pretty good at it. When I packed my car for the first time to drive to college (from Maine to Florida) my Dad was helping me pack. At one point he said “Okay, that’s it, you can’t fit anything else”. Which wasn’t going to work at all since I still had stuff I wanted to take. I just laughed and repacked the car. Not only did I fit all the original stuff plus all the extra stuff, there was still extra room and the view out the back window from the rearview mirror was completely unobstructed.
I can’t come pack for you all, but I can share some packing tips:
Do your laundry a few days early. Wash (or have dry cleaned) everything you’re even considering packing, even if you’re not sure. Better to have it done and available to choose from rather than decide you want it and have to scramble to get it cleaned at the last minute.
Once everything is clean, make a list. Think about the weather of the area you’re heading (check their tourism website if you’re not 100% sure. Most will list average temps and rainfall by month). Also think about your plans once you get there. Will you be hiking or sitting on the beach? Do you need any dressy clothes for a nice dinner one night? You might like this nice free travel packing checklist from Frommer’s.
Start packing things away in your suitcase at least a week in advance (heavy on bottom, lighter on top). You don’t want to be rushed and forget something! Also designate one sheet of notebook paper (or the checklist from Frommer’s above) to each suitcase or bag and write each item as you place it inside. Not only will you appreciate having this list if your bags get lost (yikes!) but it also saves you having to dig through every bag looking for that pair of shorts “I just know I put in here”.
Roll instead of fold. Clothes that wrinkle easily especially benefit from this packing space-saver. Roll tightly and pack tightly to keep them as wrinkle-free as possible.
Stuff socks and other small garments into shoes to help them hold their shape. I also like to stuff a couple of zip-top plastic bags in them to toss dirty shoes in on the trip home. Who wants sand all through their suitcase?
As much as we all love new clothes and shoes and it’s always fun to take something new and pretty on vacation, don’t do it, especially with shoes. You don’t want to be breaking in a pair of new shoes as you walk around Disney World or up and down the streets shopping in the Bahamas.
Think your bag is full? Close it and tap it on the ground a few times to help things settle and you’ll free up some space. Just don’t pack so tightly the seams or zipper are straining. If the zipper busts while being transported you could find yourself being delivered an empty suitcase.
Pack an empty bag as an extra to bring home any souvenirs you pick up on the trip.
All of your valuables, one set of clothes, toiletries allowed by the TSA, some snacks and entertainment (Suduko, iPad, Nook, etc.) should go in your carry-on in case your bags get delayed.
Unpack as soon as you arrive. Not the most fun part of your trip but it will help you feel more settled and also helps keep clothes from wrinkling.
Here are some additional packing tips for checked bags from the TSA to reduce the chance of an issue with your bags:
Pack shoes and other footwear on top of everything else.
Avoid packing food and drink items in your checked bags.
Don’t stack papers or books on top of each other; spread them out. From my experience this is also true for carry on bags. Once I had a few extra notepads, folders and books in my briefcase from a seminar I had attended and I was pulled out of line for additional screening. The person who did my screening said it was because of the stacked papers. I had no idea that was even a red flag of any kind but now I spread it out as much as possible.
Place a personal identification tag inside your bag along with the ones you have on the outside. If the outside tag gets damaged or lost during transit at least the airline will still be able to identify it when they open it.
