The Pike Place Market is one of those things that I hope to see someday. After reading Keryn’s Travel in my Town post about Seattle, I realized that my kids and I hadn’t yet made it to our very own fish market in Pensacola. I had been years ago but haven’t been since I had children. A few weekends ago, we made the trip downtown and Joe Patti’s did not disappoint.
The kids cracked us up about how they thought the place smelled (um…like raw fish!).
They loved trying the bread samples and we picked up some piping hot bread fresh from the oven.
They tried to talk us in to some gelato but we had already had a treat that afternoon so the answer was no. I guess we will just have to go back soon!
We picked up some mahi mahi that became the most delicious fish tacos!
Read more about my visit at TravelingMom.
Stop by Delicious Baby to see other Photo Friday submissions! I am also participating in Friday Daydreaming over at R We There Yet.
For the most part, we consider hotel rooms to be a place to sleep after a long day of exploring but we have stayed at some amazing properties that were destinations in themselves. If it makes sense, we will invest in a suite or a vacation rental that includes a kitchen. When we went to Disney World for a week with five other family members, it made sense to invest in a suite with a kitchen. We cooked meals, prepared lunches to bring in to the theme parks and enjoyed the extra space. We also saved money because we were able to rent one property rather than three to suit the needs of the three families.
Sometimes, I just can’t justify the cost of anything more than a standard hotel room. This summer we are planning a trip traversing the state of Florida. At one point during the trip, we will be stopping for the night after driving about 9 hours. We will probably arrive late and it is just a stopping point before we continue on. I found a brand new, 2-3 star hotel off of the Interstate for $60. We will arrive late, get a good night’s sleep and the next morning we will eat a continental breakfast and then continue on the road. This is an example of when we would save the money and stay in an inexpensive room.
I am defining a standard hotel room as a room with two beds and a bathroom. There will probably be television and internet access but there are likely no additional amenities in the room. No kitchen. No room with a door to close when it is time for the kids to go to sleep and the adults aren’t ready.
We are a family of four, which right away makes it easy to choose a standard hotel room when we are traveling but I have a boy and a girl. I know that sometime in the next few years they will not want to share a room with each other (or their parents) and we will be ready to upgrade but until then, this is how we survive a stay in a standard hotel room.
We throw the bedtime schedule out the window. I should probably preface this with the fact that we aren’t really a scheduled family. We didn’t institute a consistent schedule until our kids entered school and were forced in to a schedule. Once summertime hits, the schedule disappears. It is what works for our family. When we travel, we don’t worry about a strict bedtime. If the kids are still awake at 9pm, I don’t panic. I know that after a long day of adventures, they will fall asleep quickly the next night.
Invest in a book light. My husband and I can read in bed at night while the kids are trying to fall asleep. We use book lights so that we can read without really disturbing the kids.
Watch television at a low volume. Depending on what we can find on the television, we will turn it on at a low volume and bore the kids to sleep. It is amazing how quickly my kids fall asleep while watching the late night news or a sports game.
Book a room with a sleeper sofa or book a roll-away bed. Hotels like Comfort Inn usually offer an room option with a sleeper sofa. It typically only costs a few dollars more than a standard room. The sofa comes with all the bedding you need and is a perfect way to separate my children so they aren’t fighting, crossing the line, or doing any of the numerous things they do to annoy each other. Another option is to book a roll-away bed but be sure to book it ahead of time.
Divide and Conquer. I will lay down with my daughter and my husband will lay down with my son until they fall asleep. Then we move them to the sleeper sofa or bed that they will sleep in.
Book a room with a balcony. We have spent many an evening chatting on the balcony while our kids fall asleep in the hotel room.
How do you make your stay in a standard hotel room more comfortable?
Traveling moms are not always traveling. Although it is mostly by choice, my family doesn’t have the luxury of taking a round-the-world trip where we travel nonstop without knowing when our trip is going to end. We take little weekend jaunts a few hours away when we aren’t on the soccer field or at the dance studio. When the kids have a school break, we take a couple of 1-2 week long trips a year. When we aren’t traveling, we do a lot of exploring in our own little city because this is important, too. These are some of my favorite moments like this one, at a local hockey game.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there.
Stop by Mother of All Trips to see a great traveling mom picture as well as links to other people participating in her (Traveling) Mother’s Day link up! While you are there, be sure to read the traveling with babies and toddlers tips that have gone up all week long.
In January, I started sharing books I’ve read for two reasons. First, I would like a place to keep a list of all the books I have read and just haven’t found a good place for it yet. Second, I love hearing what other people are reading and I like to add to my list of books to read.
When you finish reading the list, leave me a comment with your favorite reads this month and get additional book recs from my January, February and March lists.
I got a lot of reading done this month but much of it was in the form of orientation, handbooks and such because I am preparing to go back to school when the summer session begins next week. I know that during the next few months my reading time will be limited as I figure out how much time this whole returning to school thing is going to take up!
Optical Delusions in Deadwood by Ann Charles – This is the second book in a trilogy about a Realtor who lives in Deadwood. It is just as amusing as the first book, was a fun beach type read and was free to download at the time!
The Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare – Book two of the Infernal Devices series did not disappoint. This series is full of magic, vampires, warlocks, good versus evil, and London landmarks. It is a great series to give to the Harry Potter and Twilight fan in your life.
Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson – I picked this book to read and review for Family Friday on A Traveler’s Library. What happens when all of the guests leave Disney World and the gates close? This book helps the reader to imagine what might happen to the Disney characters after the parks close. The main characters are 13 years old but I think a 4th or 5th grader could appreciate this book. I wouldn’t give it to someone who scares easily because they might not want to go back to Disney for a long time. There are some creepy parts in the book (like when the It’s a Small World dolls come alive and one bites the leg of one of the main characters…eek!).
Leviathan by Scott Westerfield – This is a steampunk novel that takes place at the beginning of World War I. As is typical with steampunk, it is full of science fiction, bizarre speculation and what-ifs even though it takes place at the beginning of WWI. I loved Scott Westerfield’s Uglies series and devoured all four books in less than a week. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book. When I finished, I couldn’t bring myself to read the second book in the series but I do have a book from another one of his series on my list to read next.
What is on your reading list right now?
Disney World can be an expensive vacation. Because we live in Florida, we are lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the Florida resident discounts offered throughout the year. We are also able to make the trip in a long weekend without having to take 7-10 vacation days to make our trip worth the money spent. Before you make the trip to Disney World, buy these few things to save some money. Sure, Disney World has stores everywhere and you can certainly purchase them there, but you will be glad that you saved money on these items by purchasing them before your trip.
Ponchos – Go to your local dollar store and purchase a stack full of ponchos. They are packaged perfectly for travel and cost one dollar. You will be glad you have them because it always rains at Disney World.
Souvenirs – You may be wondering why you would buy your souvenirs before your trip! Head to any store that carries Disney items and pick up a few ahead of time. You will find many of the same items at the theme parks and at a much higher price. The Orlando Targets and Walmarts also have large displays of Disney merchandise. We go shopping ahead of time and surprise the kids with little souvenirs throughout the trip. If they find something in the parks that they just absolutely have to have, we discuss it then. My kids know that this is the case and the begging every time we come out of a ride and get dropped into a gift shop does not bring out the “I want this now’s,” thankfully.
Sunscreen - I forgot my sunscreen and bought a bottle of spray sunscreen for $12.99 at the hotel. Enough said.
Batteries - If your camera takes batteries, be sure to pack extra. They will cost you more just as the sunscreen does.
Spray Bottles or Fans – These are sold all over the theme parks. You can find them sitting in ice filled coolers. Florida is hot. And humid. Buy your kids a spray bottle or fan for just a few bucks before you go.
Snacks and Drinks – This is one of our biggest money savers when we head to Disney World. You can bring in a soft-sided cooler full of drinks, snacks and even lunch. Purchase them ahead of timeand bring them to the park. Freeze water bottles and use them as ice packs. When the bottles defrost, drink them.
What do you bring with you on your Disney World trip?
Please welcome Farrah from The Three Under. She is sharing her favorite family friendly activities in Greenville, South Carolina. I have driven through Greenville several times but have never spent any time there. I know my kids would love to visit some of these activities. Be sure to visit Farrah’s site where she talks about bringing up her kids and everything in between.
I am really enjoying my new Travel in My Town series because I am learning more about places that have long since been on my list to visit and adding some that weren’t previously on my radar. Do you want to share your favorite things about your town? Send me an email at jennifer at twokidsandamap dot com.
Welcome y’all! Today I am thrilled to invite you to check out Greenville, South Carolina. We’re about 2 hours northeast of Atlanta, two hours southwest of Charlotte, and two hours south of Asheville, NC. Pretty much in the middle of an awesome area with fabulous (and I am not exaggerating) weather year round. The city of Greenville itself has gone through a remarkable transformation over the past 10 years- and is now one of the fastest growing cities in the country. It’s gorgeous, friendly, and has so much to do I don’t have enough time to tell you about it all.
Downtown-Main Street area
For starters- Downtown Greenville has completely revitalized their downtown area. It’s a very pedestrian friendly, tree covered walk from start to finish down Main Street up to the West End. There’s great shopping, hotels, restaurants, cafes and the stunning Falls Park. As a family, we love to park in one of the numerous garages right off of the main drag and just take our time strolling and window shopping. My preschooler always wants to stop at O.P. Taylor’s charming toy store right in the heart of downtown. One of our frequent stops along the street is to hunt for the Mice On Main- a series of life sized-bronze mice hidden along your path as a tribute to the story Goodnight Moon, always a kid favorite. A few favorite restaurants are The Cazbah, Sobys, Sassafras and those along the sidewalks that are all kid (and dog) friendly.
Greenville Zoo
Another attraction in the heart of downtown Greenville is our wonderful zoo. It’s not going to be the largest zoo that you ever see in your life, but by far and away it’s a terrific (and affordable) zoo to walk through with your children whenever the whim may strike. Don’t let the size fool you- you’ll see beautiful habitats set up for the lions, giraffes, elephants and alligators. With plenty of shady trees and a generally mild-to moderate crowd to contend with, it’s a refreshing change to some of the larger zoos in big cities. Admission is $7.75 for adults, $4.50 for 3-15years and under 3 is free.
Children’s Museum
Opposite from the zoo downtown is the three year old Children’s Museum of the Upstate. I have been to a few different children’s museums over the years- but it’s clear that I’m spoiled rotten with ours. It’s touted as the 7th largest in the country and I love it. There are so many different hands on attractions for your little ones to encounter- you had better plan on spending the most part of an afternoon enjoying it. My oldest is now 3 and in my opinion he is getting more out of it than ever before. There is an area specifically for younger toddlers- but you’ll enjoy it the older you kids may be. A littler pricier for admission, but worth it: Adults $10, children 2-12 $9 and under 2 is free. They do have member prices as well.
Greenville Drive Baseball
We miss having a major league baseball team locally- but the Greenville Drive does not disappoint. As the minor league team for the Boston Red Sox, they have a mini version of Fenway Park to call home. It’s clean, friendly, and much less expensive than a major league game! There’s also a small play area just for kids to burn off some energy. A family of 4 can purchase tickets and snacks for under $40. Let’s see you do that at Fenway! Ticket prices vary but range $5-$9 each, depending on your seats, and kids under 2 are free.
These are just a few of the gems hidden in the downtown area of Greenville. There are several parks, gardens, water areas, play places and more waiting to be discovered. It’s so nice to be in a place that values time together as a family and Greenville has surely earned a place in my heart for providing so much for children. The many outdoor festivals that are held throughout the year celebrate the city and keep us coming year after year. You cannot go wrong with a trip downtown Greenville- easy to navigate and find some parking (imagine that!) it’s unintimidating to be sure.
Farrah is the overcommitted mom of 3 boys under 3 trying to get a word in edgewise at her blog, The Three Under, when she can.
Posted in Tips on April 29, 2012
A first aid kit is important to have with you especially if you have children. Boo boos, scrapes, and falls are bound to happen. We are gearing up for some summer road trips and I realized that our first aid kit (I mean the first aid kit that I stole from my mother’s car last year when we were on a big family road trip!) was in very sad shape. The last few times we needed a band-aid, there were none to be found.
If you don’t want to make your own first aid kit, you can purchase one from a store like Target or Walmart. Small ones cost about $10 and large ones will run you about $20. The only problem I have with the pre-made kits is that they don’t really come with enough of the supplies I need. There are only a few band-aids and there are extra things that we end up never using. By creating your own kit, you can put in the supplies that you know you and your family typically use.
For about $25-30, I created a tailor-made first aid kit for our car and had enough supplies to restock the first aid kit that I keep in my purse or carry-on bag when we are out and about.
Supplies for my kit:
- Antibiotic cream like Neosporin to clean up scrapes and minor wounds
- 10 yards of Waterproof Tape to hold the gauze in place if a band-aid won’t cut it
- Ace bandage because my family (well, except for my husband) is prone to twisted ankles
- Cleaning Spray like Bactine to clean up scrapes
- Caladryl Lotion for my daughter because she is constantly covered in bug bites
- Antibacterial Sanitizer Gel
- Alcohol Swabs
- Small Band-aids
- Band-aids for knees or elbows
- Gauze pads
- Bug Spray
I thought about adding suntan lotion to the box, but we normally carry that with us. We often forget the bug spray and don’t remember until my daughter is scratching her already formed bug bites. You might want to add a pain reliever to the box but I normally have that with me when we travel so I decided that it wasn’t necessary to put in the kit. I stored the gauze bandages, Band-aids, and alcohol pads in a plastic bag so that the boxes weren’t taking up unnecessary space.
Put all your supplies into a small container that will fit under your seat or in the back of the car. I used a Ziploc container.
Once the first aid kit for my car was finished, I grabbed a plastic bag and stored the extra guaze bandages, Band-aids, and alcohol pads. To this, I added a few pain reliever pills and threw it in my purse.
Now when we are out and about and we have scrape or bug bite attack, I am prepared. What do you put in your first aid kit?
At the risk of showing my age, I have to share something. Every time I visit a Gaylord property, I can’t help but think about the movie, Bio-Dome. You know the one I am talking about, right? Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin find their way into a biodome when they are trying to prove to their scantily clad girlfriends that they are environmentally correct. They end up getting stuck in the biodome for a year. I can’t help but think of the movie anytime I visit a Gaylord biodome.
The last time I visited the Gaylord Opryland Hotel was about ten years ago. We were right outside of Nashville visiting family and they told us that we just had to see the Gaylord Opryland Hotel all decorated for the holidays. I remember wandering through the hotel looking at the beautiful Christmas decorations and twinkling lights. I remember thinking the property was ridiculously huge and couldn’t get over the fact that there was a river complete with a boat tour.
A few months ago, I headed up to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel for the Blissdom conference. In between sessions and socializing, I toured the property and explored the different things that the Gaylord Opryland Hotel had to offer.
Accommodations
The Opryland is set up in several different sections: Magnolia; Delta; Garden Conservatory, and Cascades. Each section is set up with rivers, ponds, waterfalls and more. We stayed in the Cascades in a typical two bed hotel room with a bathroom. I liked that there was a small sink area with a mirror outside of the bathroom. I was sharing the room with an old friend so it was nice to be able to have both areas so that we could get ready in the morning in a timely manner.
Our room and bathroom were clean and it was proof positive that the hotel seems to regularly deep clean the rooms. When we arrived, all of our furniture was moved about two feet away from the wall. We left it there and assumed that when housekeeping came by they would fix it. Nope! We called down to the front desk and they got a kick out of it. The women laughed at our story and sent someone up to fix it right away. Once the furniture was moved back to its proper place, our room was quite spacious.
Dining Options
There are a lot of dining options throughout the hotel. You could park your car and not get into it again until it was time to leave if you wanted to. I was pleasantly surprised by the options in all of the different price points. We ate breakfast once at the Cascades American Café. We had a pricey dinner at Solario, a Mexican restaurant. The first day we were there, we ate at Stax Burgers, a build your own burger place. This meal was the most reasonably priced. For only $10, I got a huge cheeseburger and french fries. There is a pizza place, a steakhouse, an Irish pub, a sushi bar, and more.
Activities for the Family
The Gaylord Opryland has two outdoor pools and one indoor pool to keep the kids occupied during your down time. There is a small arcade and lots of gardens to explore. You can grab a treat at Christie Cookie or Haagen Dazs Ice Cream. There is a water show set to music in the Delta Atrium. You can find the Dreamworks characters hanging out during certain parts of the year. SNOW! and ICE! are held during the winter and during spring break, you can celebrate with the Dreamworks friends. During select days in the summertime, you can build Princess Fiona’s Cookie Castle or have breakfast with the Shrek characters. If you attend Summer Fun with Shrek & Friends, you can join in the Madagascar Crack-a-Lackin’ Pool Party, train at the Kung Fu Panda Academy of Awesomeness, watch a movie from the pool, and more. Head to the Delta Atrium and take a ride on a riverboat. This is one thing we really wanted to do but just never found the time.
Things to Know Before You Go
Parking is pricey. You will pay $18 per day to park in their lot and $26 per day for overnight valet parking.
There is a shuttle service but it isn’t included. Shuttle service from the airport is $40 per person for a roundtrip fare. There is also shuttle service to and from various attractions around Nashville. Most of the services begin at $20.
I felt like the Gaylord Opryland is in a pretty central location so it would serve as a good base for your Nashville family vacation.
The Dreamworks characters are not always visiting the Gaylord Opryland. If you are planning a Dreamworks experience, be sure you check the schedule of events and plan your trip around those dates.
I have now visited the Gaylord Opryland and the Gaylord Palms. I am hoping to visit the Gaylord National this summer while we are in Maryland. Have you visited a Gaylord property? Which one?
Baseball season has gotten a little bit more exciting around Pensacola. The Pensacola Blue Wahoos, part of the Cincinnati Reds franchise, opened up their first season on Easter weekend. As partial season ticket holders, we got to attend the open house the night before opening day. We were also there for the third game of the weekend. The kids are so excited that they can go to a game here in town.
What you can’t see in this picture is that the Pensacola Bay is beyond the outfield. It truly is one of the most beautiful stadiums I have seen.
Truth. You will need a baseball glove because you have a chance of catching a baseball in just about any seat in the house.
Stop by Delicious Baby to see other Photo Friday submissions! I am also participating in Friday Daydreaming over at R We There Yet.
Posted in Tips on April 18, 2012
If you are arriving in Orlando by plane for a big Disney World vacation or Disney cruise and are not renting a car, you will likely find yourself on the Magical Express. Because we live only seven hours away, it is much cheaper for my family of four to drive to Orlando for vacation so we have our car during the trip.
When I went on the Disney Fantasy Media Preview Cruise, I was going by myself. My family was staying at home because this was working retreat. This meant that flying was actually a less expensive option than driving once I factored in gas, parking fees, and drive time. I left out of Panama City Beach and took an hour long nonstop flight to Orlando.
Once you have decided to forgo the rental car, you have probably realized that the Magical Express is the best option financially, but what can you expect?
When I arrived in Orlando, I followed the directions to Disney’s Magical Express but somehow took a wrong turn. I flew on Southwest and our gate was about as far away from the Magical Express counter as you could get. After figuring out which direction I was supposed to go and following the directions in my Disney booklet, I made it to the Magical Express depot located in a lower level of the airport.
Disney World has ride lines and food lines organized well and the Magical Express is no exception. Once I arrived at the right spot, a cast member showed me which line to wait in to get checked in to catch the next bus headed to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the property in which I was staying for one night. I only had a short wait because there was a Magical Express getting ready to leave.
The ride to the hotel was a bumpy one and I will admit that, for awhile there, I was thinking that this was the Not-So-Magical-Express. When I took the Magical Express to the cruise port , I discovered that part of my problem was that I was seated too far back.
What to Know Before You Go:
Disney’s Magical Express is free for guests staying in one of the qualifying Disney properties.
Wait times will vary. There are two separate lines that you have to stand in and then you may sit on the bus before it fills. Be prepared to wait and remember that this is a free option; be thankful when you don’t have to wait.
If you or a member of your family is prone to motion sickness, be sure to sit near the front of the bus and be prepared with a bag. It may be a bumpy ride.
If you do not put the luggage tags given to you on your bags before your flight, you will need to pick up your bags before heading to the Magical Express. If you do have your luggage with you, you might want to have a few dollars in cash to tip the driver who unloads your luggage.
If you do choose to use the luggage tags, it could be a couple of hours before your bags arrive. Have your swimsuit in your carry-on bag so that you can hit the pool when you arrive. Have a plan in place before you board the plane so that you have what you need if your luggage takes a few hours to arrive at your hotel.
The ride is not a short one. It took us 45 minutes from pulling out of the airport parking lot to arriving at my destination. My hotel was the last one on the drop-off list for this particular shuttle. Each Magical Express makes about four stops, give or take one.
Have you taken the Magical Express? What was your experience?
More hints and tips that I learned on my cruise on the Disney Fantasy:
Justifying the Cost of a Disney Cruise
Staterooms Available on the Disney Fantasy
Seven Mistakes Made by a First Time Disney Cruiser
Thank you to Disney and Traveling Mom for providing my cruise accommodations. I paid for travel there and back as well as other expenses. As always, opinions are mine and mine alone.
