5 Ways To Vacation on the Cheap

October 18, 2012 by 5 Comments

Being broke (or just thrifty) shouldn’t keep you from heading out on a well-deserved vacation. Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or a month-long adventure, here are 5 ways to help you save cash on your next holiday.

Sleep Cheap

For most travelers, the bulk of their vacation budget goes towards their accommodation. Find a cheap (or better yet, free) place to crash for the night, and you’ll save a ton of cash. Before you set out on your next holiday, send a shout-out to your social media contacts letting them know you’re looking for a low-cost place to lay your head – you just might get lucky and score an invite to stay in a spare room or an unused cottage.

If you’re ok with sleeping on a stranger’s couch, check out CouchSurfing. It’s a thriving online community where travelers and hospitable people connect, matching up couchsurfers with hosts who are willing to put up a traveler for the night (or two) in a spare room, on an air mattress, or on the couch. Best of all, it’s free – the idea is to promote goodwill, friendships and cultural exchange through the simple act of letting a stranger crash on your couch for the night. And yes, there’s an app for that.

Eat Cheap

Next to the cost of hotels, dining out while on vacation can literally take a bite out of your travel budget. Skip the fancy restaurants and check out some authentic local food – independent diners and food trucks are usually much cheaper than chain restaurants, and the food tastes a whole lot better. Remember to check for online coupons to score discounts and 2 for 1 deals on everything from coffee to dinner theatre tickets.

Drive Someone Else’s Car

No, we’re not suggesting you ‘borrow’ your mom’s minivan or hot wire your neighbors’ car to use on your next road trip – there’s legit companies that actually connect willing long-distance [Read more…]

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: , , , , ,

We are in the 100,000 Mile Club

October 18, 2012 by 2 Comments

Me and my baby! Yes, Little Man- but right now I am talking about my 2003 Mazda Protege 3, which has taken me all over the country (and out of it), on more trips then I can count, driven me to to my wedding, to the hospital to have my son, on his car ride home- and anywhere else [Read more…]

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: ,

Barcelona: a Rich Cultural Discovery

October 18, 2012 by 1 Comment

With neighborhoods like Ribera and Barrio Gotico, Barcelona is a destination of choice
for all those who want to have a sample of the whole country be means of a city break.
Simply by walking down the steep streets of Catalonia’s capital city, you can discover the
Spanish culture’s authenticity.

Palau de la Musica Catalana

An iconic landmark for the city’s modernity of the city, the Palace of Catalan Music is
a visit that imposes itself. The distinguished building has a magnificent façade adorned
by floral marquees and colorful mosaics. The visit goes through a splendid auditorium
decorated with a canopy and a painted ceiling. Another great thing about the Music
Palace is its great bar where you can taste the Spanish tapas accompanied by a good local
wine throughout the day.

Picasso Museum

This set of five medieval buildings is one of the most remarkable landmarks of the Gothic
Quarter. Included in any artistic tour of Barcelona, Picasso Museum is an interesting
way to discover some of the most important treasures of the Spanish culture. With a
permanent collection dedicated to Pablo Ruiz Picasso’s first sketches and a total amount
of over 3500 paintings, Picasso Museum plunges its visitors into the [Read more…]

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wingate by Wyndham Hotel Review #Florida #Travel

October 16, 2012 by 10 Comments

If you are looking for a hotel that is close to Universal Studios, Orlando, and the airport, feel free to check out Wingate by Wyndham Universal and Convention Center. Great for business or pleasure- or a mix of both- the Wingate is a great place to stay that won’t break the bank.

I am traveling with my son, who is 5. I know this is terrible of me, but I really liked the fact that there was an IHOP, KFC, and Taco Bell in the parking lot of the hotel. He almost never eats fast food, but when on vacation, hey, you never know when you will need food in a hurry 🙂 The hotel also is a stop for the I RIde Trolley, which is a fast and easy way to travel the Orlando and Kissimmee area. You can hop on and off all day long for a flat fee of $4, free for kids under 12. Go to any of your favorite spots like Sea World or WonderWorks, even hit up a 7-11 and grab a burger and then head back to your hotel- all for less then parking. Easy.

There was an extended continental breakfast in the dining area off the lobby, were you can have some toast and coffee, or waffles, cereal, sausage, eggs, and more. It always makes traveling so much easier when the hotel has breakfast included. When booking a hotel, it is one of the first things I look for. I hate having to go out to breakfast, and since most hotels do not include [Read more…]

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sesame Place #Spooktacular @SesamePlace

October 16, 2012 by 11 Comments

Halloween themed destinations often fall into two categories- scary/non-kid friendly, or family friendly to the point of boredom for adults. As always, Sesame Place has made a wonderful middle ground with “The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular”. The Spooktacular event transforms Sesame Place from the summer amusement park destination for kids of all ages to a Halloween themed wonderland of Sesame Street proportions.


The Spooktacular starts with an already cool park (but now without water rides), then adds Trick or Treating and special Spooktacular rides, decorations, and attractions. These include an Un-Haunted Castle maze, which is adorable to roam through, and without a single scare is great for kids of all ages with tons of interactive discoveries (and buttons to push) and fun learning experiences.

There is also Abby Cadabby’s Magical Halloween Maze, which is a fun hay-bale maze full of sparkle-riffic fun for kids. The story behind the attraction is that you and your kids must help find Abby’s missing wand and of course, experience the hijinks that occur in the process.

There is also a wonderful family themed hay ride with a Sesame Street character in their own costume as well. When we went we had Bert dressed as a farmer. During the ride there was singing and stories and laughing [Read more…]

Filed Under: holidays, travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

My Little Farmer

October 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Here are a few photos from our recent visit to the Lazy Acres Alpaca Farm in Bloomfield, NY. More to follow, but wanted to share some of our fun!

Alpaca…curious

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Rental Homes Vs. Hotels for Large Family Vacations

October 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

When you’re getting the whole family ready for a big trip, there’s a lot to take care
of, and it can be tough making sure that all of it gets taken care of right. Whether you’re
a single parent or not, coordinating a vacation involving a lot of people involves a ton of
moving parts, from packing lists to lodging arrangements, everything has to be perfectly
planned and flawlessly executed. Nothing’s worse than a vacation gone awry, so we’re
going to talk about some of the finer points of deciding whether or not you should go with
a rental home or a hotel for when you take your flock on a vacation.

Cost will, of course, always be an important factor in your decision, but we’re
going to talk about some of the other elements first, and for a good reason. The cost
advantage between a rental home and a hotel can vary based on a pretty wide variety of
factors, so we’ll begin by discussing some of the more practical needs that might factor
into whether or not you opt to go with a rental home or find some nice hotel deals.

Age factors into this decision pretty significantly, as a hotel might be a better option
[Read more…]

Filed Under: family, travel Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Children Fighting in the Car: 5 Ways to Cope

October 11, 2012 by 6 Comments

Raising children is an amazing experience; watching kids learn and grow is one of the most enjoyable experiences in life. It is not, however, without its challenges. As kids grow, they go through phases where they can be difficult to deal with. Parents of grown children will all agree that kids in cars get in arguments. Here are five ways to cope with children fighting in the car.

car trip with kids

1) Give them a comfortable environment – One of the leading causes of kids fighting is boredom. On long trips, kids often resort to starting petty arguments with siblings that can spiral out of control. Giving them plenty of room to sit and entertainment options for long trips. A family car, for example, may offer DVD players that you can use to distract your kids while on the road.

2) Be firm – Make sure the rules are clear before leaving. Fighting will not be allowed, and fighting will lead to punishment. Make sure that you catch them fighting early in the process, and remind them of the consequences. Simply being told that fighting will result in punishment may not be enough, but it will eventually lead to results. Make sure you remind your kids why rules are important; when driving, fighting in the back distracts the driver and can lead to dangerous driving situations.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: evergreen, family, kids, travel Tagged With: , , , , ,