5 Tips For Planning Your Next Vacation In Hawaii

Jess
December 14, 2017

What kind of vacation planner are you? Do you plan out trips months or even a year ahead of schedule? Or are you the type to look for last minute deals a week or several days before you leave? Today I’m sharing five tips for planning your next vacation in Hawaii with some advice on places to visit and how to find the best deals on luxury accommodations and Hawaii beach rentals.

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Sesame Street Character Breakfast at Beaches Resorts

asouthernmother
March 11, 2016
sesame street character breakfast at beaches

Part of my stay at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa was subsidized,

however all opinions are entirely my own. #BeachesMoms 

Kentucky has had a terrible winter. We went from 70F during Christmas to nearly 8 straight weeks of wretched snow. We had over 2 feet of snow on the ground at one point, and I was dreaming of the beach. I was longing to be back at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa. Last fall, I was invited to attend Social Media on the Sand with Beaches Moms; we had the most amazing family vacation. If you’re on the fence about going, I don’t hesitate to recommend Beaches Resorts. We stayed at the beautiful and luxurious Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, and we had an amazing time. You can read more about our vacation and the resort over on this post. During our stay we were lucky enough to be chosen for the Sesame Street Character Breakfast. It’s normally an extra charge, but we were invited along with several other blogger families. I’ve had a few people who were planning Beaches Resorts vacations ask me if I thought the Sesame Street Character Breakfast at Beaches Resorts was worth the small upgrade charge.

sesame street character breakfast at beaches

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5 Reasons To Stay At Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort

asouthernmother
December 16, 2015
dollywood's dreammore resort

We’ve had unusually warm temps for this time of year. It was in the 70’s on Saturday, and we had made plans to enjoy the weather while it lasted. Dollywood will close for the season in just a week or two, and we thought it would be fun to make use of our season passes (as did most of the other area visitors) one last time. It’s not quite a 3 hour trip from here to Pigeon Forge, so we frequent the area a few times a year. Jeremy and I decided my son would love to have my grandmother join us. While searching for hotels online, I remembered that Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort had opened earlier in the summer. We hadn’t had a chance to check it out or stay there, so we decided to book there on a whim. If you’ve stayed in any of the hotels in the area, many have the same decor and atmosphere; we were pleasantly surprised that Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort is markedly different from many of the hotels in the area. Simply, the hotel has a touch of elegance that’s missing in the typical hotel on the strip, and you know it before you even pull into the entrance. Here’s our list of the top 5 reasons to stay at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort.

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Family Vacations & Only Child Parent Guilt

asouthernmother
November 16, 2015
Beaches Resorts Kids Camp

Part of my stay at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa was subsidized,

however all opinions are entirely my own. #BeachesMoms

If you frequent my blog, you know that my son Gabe is an only child. He’ll be 6 years old in a few months, and he is quick to point out that he doesn’t have any siblings. Gabe has traveled a lot more than the average child. We lived briefly in Bogota, Colombia when his father was stationed there with the Army. I found it much easier to keep him entertained when he was younger. Now when we travel, he wants to interact and play with other children. Unless I want to spend the bulk of our vacation keeping him entertained, I need to either find another family to go with us, take a friend, or book a vacation that’s entertaining to his age (which isn’t always fun for the adults traveling). Upon returning from our family vacation at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, I realized that one of the great assets of booking a Beaches Resorts vacation is the Kids Camp.

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Road Trip Planning For Families

asouthernmother
September 24, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #BestPlans4Fall#CollectiveBias

Long before I had Gabe I was traveling from Charleston, South Carolina, back to Kentucky to visit my family. I was just 18 years old, and it was the first time (and last time) I ran out of gas. It was in early in the evening, and luckily it was still daylight. I didn’t have a car phone with me, and society was just starting to see cell phones. The nearest gas station was miles away, and a couple of guys stopped in a truck to see if I needed help. A North Carolina State Trooper stopped to see why two vehicles were pulled to the side of the road. The female officer told the men that she would help me and sent them on their way. When they pulled out, she took the opportunity to help, but not before (justifiably) chewing me out. She proceeded to tell me how very unsafe it was for me to run out of gas, and that I could have easily been kidnapped or killed by someone who saw me as vulnerable. It was a humiliating experience, but I deserved it. She told me to sit in my car, lock the doors, and wait on her to return with gas. I did as she instructed. When she returned, I thanked her for the gas and I drove straight home. I’ve never forgotten her, or what she said to me that day. I rarely let my gas tank get below 1/4 full, and I try to make sure my car is packed for an emergency. Today, I’m sharing some family road trip planning tips as we prepare for a fall break road trip to Charleston, SC and on to Orlando, FL (don’t tell Gabe, we’re going to Disney World).

road trip planning

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5 Winter Vacation Ideas

asouthernmother
August 26, 2015

Summer might still be in full swing, but your attention may have already turned to wintertime and to where you can head on vacation when the colder weather kicks in. It can be cold and dreary in Kentucky during the winter months, I’m always dreaming of my next little escape. Though that said, there are loads of things to do in Kentucky, check out these things to do In Owensboro for example if you are looking for a staycation when summer rolls round again.

But it’s not going to be summer for much longer and you need to plan your winter wonder holiday. So to give you some inspiration for a winter holiday of a lifetime, here are five superb destinations for a family sojourn this winter.

winter vacation ideas

1) Tenerife

If you think you’ll need a break from the tumbling temperatures, why not book yourself cheap holidays to places that stay warm and sunny? Tenerife is a great example. This Canary island can get crowded during the peak summer months, but in winter it has a more relaxed vibe. The temperature averages a pleasant 21°C during the low season, so you’ll still be able to make the most of the island’s beaches and attractions. While there, you can enjoy whale watching boat trips and check out the buzzing Siam Park with its waterslides and rides. With that being said, it is not just Tenerife that you can experience Whale Watching at. Whether you choose to go whale watching california, Sri Lanka or Costa Rica, you’ll be able to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat and create wonderful memories.

2) Barbados

Meanwhile, for something a little more tropical, perhaps the beautiful island of Barbados in the Caribbean would suit you better. A favorite among celebrities including the likes of Simon Cowell, it has lots to offer family groups. You can unwind in the various beach resorts, dive beneath the waves in an Atlantis Submarine and visit the Andromeda Botanic Gardens.
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You’ll be guaranteed great weather too, with average daily high temperatures in January an impressive 28°C. There is nothing like relaxing at one of these villas in barbados and enjoy the weather!

3) Mauritius

Another sun soaked vacation spot to consider is Mauritius. This petite but perfectly formed island in the Indian Ocean makes for a real winter paradise. From its bustling capital, Port Louis, to the serene Black River Gorges National Park, there is no shortage of attractions to explore. Mauritius benefits from a mild, tropical climate throughout the year and it’s at its warmest between November and April.

4) The slopes of Utah

Of course, you’re not restricted to sunny, sultry, holiday spots. Perhaps you’d prefer to embrace the chilly season by taking a ski trip, and what better place to go than the slopes of Utah?
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Easy to get to and home to superb snow conditions, the resorts of Alta and Snowbird are well worth checking out.
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On average, they get more than 12 meters of snow a year and between them they have 4,700 acres of slopes.

5) Finnish Lapland

Meanwhile, for a touch of festive magic, it’s hard to beat Finnish Lapland. While in this frozen wilderness, you can enjoy reindeer sleigh rides, go dog sledding, take snowmobile safaris and test your skills ice fishing. Never heard of ice fishing before? You won’t be the only one, but it is actually very popular. It’s just like normal fishing, but you catch your fish through an open section of ice instead, and reading some of these Outdoorempire reviews about the best ice augers on the market, can help to ensure that you make the most of this activity, as well as catching as many fish as possible. Nothing beats taking part in these different winter activities, so make sure you try everything that Finnish Lapland provides you. You might even be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights.

Whether you’re after the sunshine and sea or a dusting of snow, booking your trip now will give you something to look forward to this winter. Do you have any unique winter vacation ideas?

Ripley’s Aquarium Of The Smokies In 10 Photos

asouthernmother
April 16, 2015

Our little family took a mini-vacation to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge last weekend.
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It was beautiful weather to visit the Smokies. The trees were starting to bloom and the Dogwood’s were flowering.
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We spent Sunday morning at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, and we had a wonderful time. I’ll be writing more about it later but here are a few photos I thought my readers might enjoy. I loved the challenge of trying to photograph through the aquarium tank glass, and watching my 5 year old’s amazement going through the Shark Tunnel. It was an educational and fun trip, and we’re looking forward to going back on our next visit.

ripley's aquarium of the smokies

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