ICE exhibit

What is ICE?

ICE is a holiday exhibit at select Gaylord Palms Hotels. this exhibit includes rooms full of holiday-themed sculptures carved completely from ice, slides completely made from ice, unlimited tubing with real snow, food, and entertainment.

Where can you find an ICE exhibit? 

ICE exhibits only occur during the holiday months, usually November - January.  You can search for Gaylor Palms ICE for dates, locations, and tickets. 

What makes ICE so amazing? 

ICE was pretty amazing, just ask any child that has been there.  When my family and I went we purchased a package that allowed us to tube and walk through the ICE exhibit.

We spent nearly an hour walking through the ice sculptures and enjoying the ice slides.  The sculptures were life-size, they had color in the ice as well.  They provide you a parka to keep warm in the rooms with the ice.  You can take pictures of your own and the staff takes a group picture for you.  It really is an unforgettable experience.

The kids really enjoyed the tubing while we were there although, they were pretty tired out after about an hour and a half. I will say that we had to carry our tub up a set of stairs to the top of the slope so it was a lot of work. It would not be well suited for someone that has any kind of injury and is unable to carry their own tube, as their tubes are a bit heavy compared to others I have had experience with.

It is much warmer out in the room where the tubing takes place, there is no need for a heavy jacket or parka in this room.  You would probably be pretty comfortable with a light jacket or long sleeves. You do get the opportunity to take as many pictures as you want, plus they have a prop set up to take a family photo if you would like.

They have a bunch of other holiday activities set-up that you can participate in.  Things like gingerbread house decorating, a stage show, Christmas tree lighting ceremony, photos with Santa, Elf on the shelf breakfast, storybook reading with Mrs. Clause, and so much more.

Get your tickets and enjoy the next exhibit near you

If you are looking for something fun for you and your family to do this holiday vacation I definitely recommend the Gaylor Palms ICE.  It is fun and memorable for everyone. If you want to make it a family tradition that's ok too, the themes change every year.

If you liked this article you might like: 

Recent Adventures in NYC 

Planning our NYC Vacation 

Planning A Disney Cruise 

An Adventure in Washington DC 

The Florida Caverns 

Little Talbot Island  

Stone Mountain 

Ziplining Forever Florida 
USS Alabama 

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The USS Alabama Memorial Park

What is USS Alabama Memorial Park? 

The USS Alabama Memorial Park is an Alabama state park that was established to honor and educate the public regarding conflicts the US has been involved in.  In this memorial park, you can tour the USS Alabama battleship commisioned in 1942 along with various aircraft, and military devices.  

Why should you visit? 

This is an educational trip that will help connect each of us with the past of the United States.  It also helps us see how far we have come.  We can also appreciate the sacrifices the soldiers made living on these battleships and submarines for our freedom.

My children loved visiting the memorial park and seeing what battleships looked like back in 1942 and being able to connect to their great-grandfather who served in the Navy.  They were also amazed at the small living quarters and tight spaces that the soldiers had to live in.  This was definitely an eye-opening experience for myself and my family.

You can also tour the DRUM WWII submarine at the USS Alabama memorial park.  This was another eye-opening experience.  Even though the day was fairly cool the submarine was quite warm and the space to move was so small, of course, the kids had no problem but for adults, it was a little more of a challenge especially while carrying backpacks and cameras.

You can also view tanks, artillery, and aircraft while at the memorial park.  The tanks and artillery were used in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam Wars.  The aircraft are mostly from WWII but there are also helicopters from the US presidency as well as a U Boat for you to examine.  

Tips and recommendations when visiting 

If you are sensitive to loud noises I would recommend some earplugs as they do perform mock anti-aircraft demonstrations that can become very loud but is really cool to see.  

In addition, I recommend taking your time and holding onto the railings.  Watch your children and elderly on the stairs especially when it is raining or the ground is wet.  The stairs in the battleship are very narrow and steep and can be slippery when wet.  So, I encourage you to hold railings, watch your step, and keep your kiddos close by.  

If you are sensitive to heat I recommend you plan your trip either in the cooler winter months or take a misting fan to keep cool.  Alabama weather is not all that different from Florida.  It gets very warm and humid and being inside the submarine and battleship will feel even warmer.  

This is a financial friendly trip that you can take your family on. Children under the age of 5 are free and anyone with a military ID are free as well.  Ages 6-11 are only $6 adults are $15.  Over the age of 55, then pay only $13 for admission.  They also offer special discounts for military families and AAA members.  

Check it out

Go check it out! The USS Alabama Memorial Park was a great weekend trip for us, the kids enjoyed seeing the battleships, submarines, aircraft, and tanks.  I enjoyed that they are learning about our history and I was able to learn something too.  

Share this great historical site with your family too! 

If you liked this article you might like: 

Recent Adventures in NYC

Planning our NYC Vacation

Planning A Disney Cruise

An Adventure in Washington DC

The Florida Caverns

Little Talbot Island 

Stone Mountain

Ziplining Forever Florida 

Remember to Follow me for new articles

Forever Florida, Check this place out!

Our first zip lining experience was right here in Florida. That's right I said Florida, I know your thinking how is that possible Florida is flat.  Well, that is true for the most part but we can still zipline.

We ventured down to Forever Florida just outside of Orlando.  Their ziplines are perfect for your first time.  You don't need to break and your not that high off the ground relative to other zipline options.  They build towers in the wooded preserve to allow for the necessary height to for the ziplining activity.  So you do need to be prepared to walk some stairs.

Their amazing staff will fit you for your equipment and you can even rent a go pro to record your experience like we did here.  Then you will get two guides to take you out to the ziplines.  You will take a ride out into the preserve where you will climb the towers to begin your adventure.

There are stopping blocks that are put out by the guides to make sure you stop without the need to break.  Most of the time you can see your landing platform, and you can always see the ground.  It really is a great experience for your first zip line adventure if you are afraid of heights or are just worried you won't like it.

My son and I are both hesitant about heights we both became more comfortable as we progressed through the zips.  Between the staff and other adventurers, it became easy for us to let go of our fears and enjoy the experience.  By the end of the trip, my son was asking when we could schedule another one.  Which we have and I will share that information as well, please stay tuned.



If you enjoyed this article you might also like:
Recent Adventures in NYC
Planning our NYC Vacation
Planning A Disney Cruise
An Adventure in Washington DC
The Florida Caverns
Little Talbot Island 
Stone Mountain

Remember to Follow me for new articles

Things to do at Stone Mountain Georgia

Stone mountain was such a great family trip for us. Located just outside of Atlanta we drove up for a long weekend during our Thanksgiving break and spent the night nearby and then spent the day at Stone Mountain.  We were not able to enjoy all the activities at the park but the activities but we went for the winter season activities that were offered which were amazing.

What is there to do in Stone Mountain?

There are a lot of things to do during any season at the Stone Mountain Park.  They have hiking trails, a cable car ride to the top of the mountain, scenic railroad, Confederate memorial carving, and seasonal activities at the park.  

Some of the seasonal activities include fireworks and tubing.  We went to enjoy the tubing which was amazing especially for us southerners that don't get the opportunity to enjoy the snow. Stone Mountain calls this activity Snow Mountain. There was a great family tube ride, double tube ride, and individual tube ride.  For a flat rate fee, you are able to spend 2 hours tubing and all day playing in the snow open play area.  This was plenty of time tubing for us.  They limit admission for each time slot so you don't spend a lot of time waiting in line, you get to use your full 2 hours on the snow.  The family raft is pulled to the top and you just hop in.  The double raft and the single raft you have to pull up on your own but they are light enough and slide along behind you.  The all-day snow play is also a lot of fun.  They have snow falling and a place to build a snowman or even create a snow angel.

What should you bring?

If you are planning to attend the Snow Mountain like we did you should bring some snow pants, sunscreen, and some waterproof comfortable shoes, and a comfortable long sleeve shirt.  A heavy jacket isn't needed.  The snow itself is cold but the weather is usually is not.  In fact, we took the jackets we used for skiing and we were hot.  But you need the snow pants and waterproof shoes because the snow will get in your pants and shoes and you will have wet clothes if not. I know sunscreen seems weird to bring in the winter but the UV rays will reflect off the snow and you can get sunburn.  

Advise for your next trip

Buy a day pass that includes both the tubing and the all-day play in the snow plus a meal option.  This will be your best price.  The food at the park is pretty expensive as are the drinks.  If you are like me and like to have pictures of your trip you can buy the pictures that the park takes for you.  The price for these pictures is actually priced pretty well compared to other places.  The quality of the pictures is good as well.  

Staying in a nearby hotel outside of Atlanta is a great option if you need to stay overnight as well.  The prices are reasonable and the hotels are nice. As well as eating outside the park will save you some money to use elsewhere.  

If you enjoyed this article you might also like:
Recent Adventures in NYC
Planning our NYC Vacation
Planning A Disney Cruise
An Adventure in Washington DC
The Florida Caverns
Little Talbot Island 

Remember to Follow me for new articles

Florida State Parks - Little Talbot Island

The Park 

My family and I love visiting state parks here in Florida as well as other states in the United States.  One of the state parks that we frequently visit is Little Talbot Island.  It is a wonderful park and offers a great beach to swim and enjoy the wildlife all in one place.  The best part is the beach here is never crowded, you almost never see trash on the beach, there are no developments on the beach, plus the state park has a rule that you can not take anything from the beach which leaves all the natural dunes, driftwood, and wildlife untouched by humans.  It really is a beautiful place to go and take in all the beauty the beach and nature have to offer. 

Little Talbot Island has a beautiful shoreline with nice sandy beaches and blue surf.  you are always sure to see some kind of wildlife while your visiting.  Sometimes we see a starfish or shoe horse crab, and sometimes you see turtles.  You can also find some amazing shells and even shark teeth.  The best part is all the natural driftwood on the beach.  That is very unique from other Florida beaches.  Because most of Florida beaches are public people take things off the beach taking away from the beauty of it.  The state park protects that and preserves the beach. 

There are picnic tables, bathrooms, showers, and pavilions with BBQ's at the beach.  These amenities are not directly on the beach you must walk on boardwalks over the dunes to reach them.  However, it is nice to have these amenities available.  There are also biking and hiking trails available at the park.  You can even rent a campsite, off the beach of course. 

What to Bring

We like to take a beach cart to help us take all of our items down to the beach from the car.  We can put all of our beach chairs, towels, sunscreen, cooler, and body boards in the cart and make just one trip without anyone having to carry anything.  We can enjoy our day at the beach and then put everything back into the cart.

 it's always important to take sunscreen and water with you.  The average burn time is about 15 minutes, sometimes less.  You can become dehydrated as well and not even realize it because the wind and surf make it feel very comfortable when in reality it's over 95 degrees.  Sunglasses are usually a good idea as well they will protect your eyes from the harmful sun rays but also help you see the beauty of the park. 

Get out there

So next time your planning a weekend trip check out your local state parks or even Little Talbot Island in Florida.  They are beautiful, safe, and fun to explore.  Just don't forget to bring the proper equipment for whatever activity you are engaging in. 

Spontaneous Trip - Florida Caverns

Caves in Florida? 

You say we're in Florida there is no way you have caverns to explore, think again! We took a trip to the Florida Caverns run by the Florida State Parks department.  Unless you're looking for it on the State Park website or you know it exists by word of mouth you have probably never heard of the Florida Caverns even if you have lived in Florida your entire life, I hadn't. So, when I found this place on the Florida State Parks website we just had to visit.

The Florida Caverns State Park 

We had to make a 3-hour car ride to this beautiful state park that is located near Tallahassee Florida.  However, the drive was definitely worth it. We had an amazing time with our park ranger guide that took us down into the caverns. My husband and I have been to caverns in other states, many of which restrict your ability to touch the formations. In addition, other caverns run the risk of falling from great heights.  The Flordia caverns allow you to touch one of the formations so the kids loved being able to feel what it was made of and to be able to put their hands on it.

Here in Florida, our land is pretty flat so these caves that are formed really don't have much depth to them so the risk of sliding off to your death is very low. I know you all think about it when you think of Mammoth Cave and Luray Caverns so I just wanted to put that out there.  Although, I'm sure the larger caverns are very safe otherwise they would never be able to take tours into them. Despite the lack of depth, the Florida Caverns are still very stunning.

Tips For Your Vist

The cave tours sell out quickly so you should call ahead of time to make sure they have availability and arrive early to buy your tickets.  The tour is about 45 minutes and you can expect to walk and or stand the entire time.  I would not advise going during the summer months as it gets pretty hot here in Florida.  Walking, hiking and cave exploration is rough in 98-degree temperatures with a heat index that feels like 100+ temperatures.  The best time to visit would be December to February that is usually our cooler months.

Come check it out for yourself

In addition to being able to explore the cave, you can hike several trails while you are visiting the park. There are lots of picknick areas to have lunch. In addition, they have an area to kayak and fish if you are interested. They have a lot of other activities at the state park you can take advantage of, we did not due to the 3-hour drive but next time we may plan to do some camping there so we can explore the entire park.

So if you're looking for a great nature area to visit here in Florida you should definitely go check out the Florida Caverns State Park.  It is a beautiful place, great for families, and is very unique to Florida as most of the caves we do have are submerged.

Planning and Tips for Travel to Washington DC

When my family and I took our trip to Washington DC planning the trip was so much easier than planning other vacations we have taken.  I attribute this to the fact that most of the activities in DC are free so there was no need to purchase tours or passes.

Finding A Great Price For Your Travel to DC

I did spend some time comparing flights, trains, and the price to drive to decide the best method of transportation from Florida to DC.  I used many comparison sites such as Trivago, Kayak, Google flights, and Amtrack.  After several days of comparing prices, the best pricing was actually for all of us to drive but considering we only had 4 days we did not want to spend the time we had driving in a car.  So we decided that the next best alternative price wise would be to travel by train.

The train allowed us the ability to sleep during the ride so we would all be rested upon arrival.  The price was less than a plane ticket. Plus we could get on the train right after work and school and then arrive first thing the next morning.  This was a perfect option for us.  However, hindsight tells me that the train was not the best idea for traveling with the family.  I would not recommend taking the train unless you are booking a sleeper car because you have no privacy and you encounter all different kinds of activity while on a train and not all are pleasant.  If you are purchasing a sleeper car the experience is nice you get to see more of the countryside but you actually end up paying more than you would with a plane.  Keep in mind this is just the east coast train from Florida to DC.  Other trains may be perfectly fine for travel as our return trip was much more pleasant.

Getting An Amazing Room

Next, you will need to find a hotel or somewhere to stay.  I searched on Trivago, Airbnb, Hotels.com, kayak, and other sites to find the best deal.  I learned that staying in the city was quite expensive. So I searched the metro maps of DC to see how far the metro lines extended outside the city.  I found that they extended all the way into Maryland so I searched for hotels in that area close enough to the metro stop to walk or with a shuttle service to take us to the metro stop at no extra cost.  After about a week of searching, I found a great hotel at the last metro stop in Maryland through Hotels.com.  This hotel provided an excellent breakfast, the rooms were very clean, the staff was extremely friendly, and the rooms were around $80 a night.  We booked 2 rooms for the time we stayed and we were very happy with our stay.  There were plenty of restaurants around our area including a Starbucks and there was a school group staying in our hotel as well.  When searching for your hotel make sure you read the reviews and know what your expectations are for your budget.  Even though we paid a low price per night we had a great room and great service.  Don't be discouraged if you don't find what you're looking for right away take some time and do your research you will find a hotel at a great price.  

Things to do in DC

Next, we researched all the different things we wanted to do. The National Zoo with the Pandas!!!! That was the best part of the whole trip, well for me at least.  They have some other pretty amazing animals too and it's all free. You can access the zoo from the metro as long as you don't mind walking a little ways from the nearest metro stop.  Touring the Capital building is free you just need to contact your senator in advance to ask for tickets.  All the museums are free just look at the hours of operations almost everything in DC closes at sundown so plan your itinerary accordingly.  The Washington Monument is free but you have to stand in line for tickets they are first to come first serve and the tickets go fast people line up before the sun comes up.  We also opted to purchase the Big Red Bus tickets while we were there.  It was wonderful because it saved us from walking everywhere and we were able to see all the monuments.

Some words of advise if you have never been to DC

After dark nearly all the tourist locations shut down. You will find yourself in the mall area with no one around and all the doors locked.  There is no food nearby either as everyone has packed up for the night.  So I would recommend getting an early start each day and planning your dinner after dark.  you can catch the metro to one of the nearby areas with more food options such as China town.  Yes, DC has a china town, it is not nearly as large as New York but it is still pretty impressive as far as the food options go.  

You don't need to rent a car in DC. The metro is very robust and the metro stops are fairly close together. We did more walking in New York City than we did in DC.  In fact, if you rent a car you will have a hard time finding a parking space and parking becomes very expensive in the city.  If you do need a car to see something that is outside the city just call a taxi or uber for that specific trip.  

If you are worried about getting lost navigating the metro station don't. You can go to the city's website and download the metro app.  The app will tell you a map of the metro as well as when the trains run and you can even figure out how much it will cost you for each ride you take.  We purchased preloaded cards at the main metro stop in Maryland when we arrived.  This saved us from having to purchase rides and wait in line to add money to our cards. Plan out where you are going and estimate the amount of money you need on your card and add that amount when you arrive.  Also, don't worry about safety in the DC Metro.  There was security at every stop we made and many of the trains we rode in had security as well.  It was very clean and safe.  

Check the weather before you pack and leave for DC. We took our trip in March. DC doesn't get a lot of snow or even harsh winters. It was supposed to be cherry blossom season but there were not cherry blossoms when we arrived.  It was extremely cold, windy, and we even had snow during our stay.  Unfortunately, we didn't plan for the snow and we did not have gloves, hats, or heavy jackets. We were a little on the cold side during our trip.  We did buy some warmer clothes and gloves from street vendors which my daughter still has her hoodie all these years later so the quality was great for a street vendor purchase.  

Have fun and don't expect to see everything.  These museums can take weeks to see everything in them so don't plan to see everything in one visit.  Just take your time, plan what you want to see in each location and plan to make a return visit to see the other items at another time.  

An Adventure in Washington DC

In 2015 my family and I traveled to Washington DC.  We were traveling on a budget and flights were crazy expensive from Florida to Washington DC. Even when searching Google Flights, kayak.com, Trivago.com, and CheapAir.com. I think it was mostly because of the time of year we were traveling, it was during cherry blossom season. We really wanted to go to DC so, we explored different options. Driving was out of the question that would have been about 10 hours in a car with 5 people. So, we kept looking for other options and found the Amtrack train. It was reasonably priced and we could hop on right after work/school and arrive the next morning.  With the great public transportation in DC, we wouldn't need a car so it was perfect or so we thought.

The Commute

The Amtrack train to DC was an awful experience.  We selected seats over the front wheels of the car because they had more leg space.  Little did we know that this part of the car had the most movement during the ride.  The restrooms on board were very poorly maintained, we had to walk back several train cars to find one that was functional.  We ate breakfast on the train, the food wasn't bad but the price was quite excessive.  I would recommend bringing some breakfast bars to avoid purchasing food on board.  Also, depending on the other people in the car with you the experience can get quite interesting.  On this particular trip, we had one person kicked off the train for drug use and another person that boarded with a small child that was intoxicated when boarded.  She continued to drink what she brought aboard plus what was served to her throughout the ride leaving her child unattended.  She was also very loud and obnoxious to everyone in the car.  Plus each time the train stops to pick up or drop off passengers it was not uncommon for those who choose to smoke to get off the train to smoke since it is prohibited on board.  The issue was they were not asked to stand away from the door of the train so the smoke came right back into the car.  This was an issue for those of us that have a smoke sensitivity or respiratory conditions.  Plus because of the motion of the train when I got off I was swaying like I was still on that train for hours, it was almost like I was seasick.

The Amtrack from DC back to Florida was much nicer.  We had a train car full of girl scouts. At first, I was skeptical thinking we would never get any sleep but after about 9 PM the kiddos were all settled in and were very quite some were even sleeping.  The restrooms on board were kept very clean.  we didn't have smokers coming and going right outside our door.  Plus we didn't sit over the wheels on the car so there was less motion.  We did eat lunch on the train on the way back as we didn't plan for snacks on the train.  Lunch was also good but pricey.  We used the dining area to play games when it was not being used to serve food.  Overall the return trip was a much better experience.  So, I would caution against using Amtrack for travel with children as you never know what your trip will be like and what kind of environment your train car will contain.

The Stay

While we were in DC we actually stayed in Maryland because hotels in DC are very expensive.  We searched for the best-priced hotels that we could get using the DC metro stations.  We needed something that would allow us to walk or get a free shuttle to the metro stop each day.  So we spent a lot of time looking and finally found a great hotel in Maryland that even offered free breakfast.  Since we were traveling for spring break we actually ended up in a hotel with a school group that was also traveling to tour DC.  Other than some noise from the kids in the halls occasionally the hotel was great and a very safe area.  We found some pretty authentic restaurants in the area so we were able to explore new foods while we were there.  We did have to take a taxi from the DC train station to the hotel since we had luggage and children we didn't want to take the rush hour metro to the hotel.

Transportation

We purchased metro cards and loaded them, we didn't find any unlimited options for DC like we did for New York.  But the prices were pretty reasonable.  We used the metro to travel all over the city.  Even though it was spring in DC it was extremely cold and it was snowing. So the metro was running behind. So if you plan to visit for spring break you might want to check the weather as you might need some heavy jackets and gloves. Not to mention you may want to plan for metro delays.

Activities

Once you're in DC almost all the attractions are free.  All the museums are free to enter you just have to go in and get your free ticket.  The food at the museum cafe's is a little pricey and there's not a lot of places to sit so try to eat during off times.  Also, most of the museums and monuments close to dark so plan your day accordingly.  You can view the monuments from the outside after dark but you can't go in them.  I would also recommend if you want to go inside the Washington monument you have to arrive before dawn to stand in line for those tickets.  The tickets are free but they are the first to come first serve and they only allow so many people a day.  Also Whitehouse tours, you have to sign up online in advance and they do background checks so apply early its a long process.  If you want to tour the capital building you can get tickets from your Senator you just have to send them a request and they can send you some free entry tickets.  It is definitely worth a tour, it is a beautiful building and has a lot of history.  If you have time you should also step into the library, it's amazing how big it is and the architecture that has gone into the structure. The history and space museums are amazing and are definitely child-friendly.  We didn't get to go to the Spy Museum but if you have older children then this would be a good experience for them.  If you have kids that have already learned about the Holocaust in school the holocaust Museum would be good to visit, my children were too young at the time of our visit.

Another place you can't miss while you're in DC is the national zoo.  We have been to lots of Zoos in different states and this one is by far my favorite.  I may be a little impartial since they have an amazing Panda exhibit and I LOVE Pandas but this zoo is amazing.  They have a great elephant exhibit that is much larger than any I have seen so far, the panda exhibit is large, the pandas have plenty of room to climb and roam around. They had a really cool gorilla exhibit as well and so much more. They have something for everyone.  Even in the cold, the exhibits were open they had indoor exhibits for cold sensitive animals.  The zoo is free for everyone and there are some beautiful walking paths.  You can even get to the zoo by metro, no need to rent a car or take a cab.

in DC the museums, zoo, and monuments look like they are all close together but in fact, it is a lot of walking.  Not only did we use the metro to help save our legs we also used the hop on hop off bus tours.  The tour was amazing, we were able to see all the major monuments, we could get off the bus walk around the monument and then get back on and go to the next one.  It was a great way to get around plus hear some history of the city.  It was a very budget friendly want to get around without killing ourselves trying to walk all over the city.

Final Remarks

By using the metro and the bus tour we saw everything in 4 days. Our hotel provided us with free breakfast, the train station has some great reasonably priced restaurants where we ate lunch often, and we often ate dinner near our hotel.  Overall we were able to visit DC at a very low cost because most everything is free, the only expense was our train tickets, hotel stay, the bus tour, our food, and souvenirs we bought.

So, if your looking for a great educational vacation on a budget Washington DC is the way to go.  You can see the great history of our great nation. You can share that history with your family. All on a very reasonable budget.

Traveling with MGS Sensitivity

Traveling with MSG sensitivity can be a challenge for many of us. Those pesky additives can really reak havoc on our bodies from migraine headaches to very unpleasant digestive reactions and so much more.  Here are some tips for all you travelers out there that need to avoid those MSG's in order to enjoy your vacation.

Over the years I have battled many migraines during and after traveling or even just having a great dinner with friends or family.  I can say first hand what a huge problem MSG's are and how they can ruin your vacation if you have a sensitivty to them like I do.  That is why I am sharing these tips to help make your vacation more pleasant and hopefully avoid spending part of your vacation couped up in your room.

Understand What MSGs Are 

MSG's are known by many names and appear on food labels under many different names so you need to be careful even when traveling within your own country.

It's a misconception that MSG's are only found in Chinese food it is common in a lot of processed foods and in a lot of restaurants. Ever wonder why you have that massive migraine after eating at your favorite restaurant well it might be what you are ordering at the restaurant. Even some wine has MSG's used as a preservative.

Avoid Consuming MSG's 

It is important to look at your food labels, ask your wait staff, and when unsure stick with organic salads with oil and vinegar dressings.  The wait staff may not know off the top of their head but they should be more than willing to go to the kitchen and ask the cook.  Some kitchens might be able to elimintate the MSG's from your favorite dish by simply removing the seasoning and add table salt instead.

Be Prepared When Consumption Occurs 

Always be prepared for the accidental mishap.  Always carry your migraine medication or medication for your digestive issues on your person.  The sooner you begin treatment the sooner you will start feeling better.  

I always have Migraine medication in my bag in addition to Advil. You never know when you may need it. You might consume something that triggers your sensitivity and then you are in big trouble especially if you are hours away from your medication.  Those hours could mean the difference between having relief now and having relief in 2-3 days.  Migrains are funny things once they set in it takes a lot to get rid of them.  Having digestive issues are no different, if you treat them quickly you will feel better sooner and your body wont loose as many fluids.  Therefore you can get back to enjoying your vacation.  

Also, always keep water on hand.  Staying well hydrated after consuming MSG's will help flush them out of your system.  You want to get them all out of your system as quickly as you can and drinking plenty of water will help.  

Planning for our Disney Cruise

In 2016 we decided it was time for a vacation.  We realized we had never been on a cruise before and started looking at different cruise options. We always see the commercials for Carnival, Royal Carribean, Disney, and so many others.  We heard friends and family give pros and con's about all of them.  So we hit the books, or the keyboard, and started our research.

Carnival and Royal Carribean had some great promotional offers but neither had the same reviews for the experience for kids or the customer service excellence that was offered.  So we looked into Disney a little more.  We found out that the Disney rewards card that we have through Chase allowed us to trade in points earned towards our Disney cruise.  That made a Disney cruise even more appealing.

This rewards program allows you to earn points much like any credit card rewards program.  These points do not expire and can be used for anything Disney or flights.  Plus the points never expire so you can save up till you want to use them.  Plus you get some great perks with this program.  You can book a Disney vacation package or cruise interest-free for 18 months. This sealed the deal for us.

We booked our Cruise through the Disney Cruise Line using the points that we had been saving up. We paid the remaining balance over time till it was time for our departure.  The great part about Disney Cruise was we were able to add our gratuity up front so no extra charges once we were on board.  Plus soda, juice, and everything except the alcohol was free on board.  Some cruise lines charge extra for their soda package.

Their excursion packages were very reasonable on the Disney Island as well.  for 4 people participating in 3 activities for the day, it was approximately $150 total. We paid for this up front as well over the 18 month period. So no surprise fees when we disembarked the ship.

So, my advice is if you are looking to take a Disney Cruise is to find a great rewards program that you can use to help offset the cost. Take advantage of the 0% interest financing for your trip, just be sure to pay the balance off before the interest rate is adjusted or your savings will not be worth it.  Try to include all your costs into your booking upfront to avoid any surprises when you're ready to leave, nothing is worse than ending your vacation with a giant bill.  If your going to consume alcohol look into how much you plan to consume if its just one or two glasses a package won't be worth it but if you plan to consume a large amount over the course of the Cruise I would suggest taking advantage of the alcohol package to avoid a large bill at the end of your trip.

I hope these tips will help you reach your Disney Cruise destination!

Our Disney Cruise Adventure

In 2016 my family and I boarded a Disney cruise to the Bahamas for Thanksgiving.  This was our first cruise and let me just say Disney really does make everything magical.  We are longtime Disney World fans.  Being a Florida resident we have had the opportunity to take our children to all the Disney World parks and now a cruise. I will tell you how we were able to afford our annual tickets as well as this cruise in another blog so stay tuned.

Being so close to Christmas the boat was decorated with everything you would expect from Disney at Christmas.  When we walked into the main lobby there was a life-sized gingerbread house that you could smell before you could see.  They had a beautiful Christmas tree decorated in the main lobby, I won't even try to guess the size of that tree it was enormous.  The Disney characters on board were all dressed in their best holiday attire.  There was even one night Santa came to see all the little kids on board.  It was so great to see their eyes light up with joy and excitement.  

Aside from the great decor which I love so much about Disney especially during the holidays, they had so many great activities for adults and kids.  My daughter was nearly a teen at the time so she was able to take advantage of the preteen lounge.  We got her signed up and she was able to use her room wristband to check herself in and out of her preteen club whenever she desired.  She pretty much had free run of the ship except during dinner, we made her eat dinner with us much to her dismay.  She made lasting friends that she still talks with to this day.  

My son was still in the explorer club meaning he was younger than the preteens but not a toddler at the time.  We had to check him in and out each time he wanted to go and play or participate in the activities.  The check in and check out process was quick and easy.  There was a safe word for each kid that the parent and child needed to know in addition to the child's wristband scanning to match the parents' information.  This made your pick up secure so each child was going back to the correct parent.  In addition, they had hand washing stations anyone that entered had to wash their hands and anyone leaving had to wash their hands.  This was such a great idea with so many people on one boat this helps keep illnesses in check.  

The ship was always very clean, we never saw a spill, trash, or a dirty bathroom for the whole week we were on the ship.  Every time we went back to our estate room it was nice and tidy the bunk beds were always put away after breakfast and then set back up for us at night.  We also always came back to a really cool animal towel in our room.  on our last night, the animal was a monkey hanging from the roof.  It was the best we have ever seen.  

The entertainment was wonderful, we saw a live theater performance which is what you would expect from any Disney performance, they are always "magical".  We also watch 2 movies while on board, one hadn't even been released to the public yet.  We enjoyed the water roller coaster on board which was always kept clean and was so much fun.  The only thing we didn't like about it was there was always a line no matter the time of day or night.  The kids also enjoyed the pools.  My husband and I enjoyed the adult pools but I will talk more about that in a minute.  

One night they had a deck party where everyone dressed like pirates, they had a little show some fireworks off the top of the ship over the ocean and then a big dance party on deck.  The show was wonderful and so realistic.  The fireworks are something I will never forget, the beautiful colors reflecting off the deep black water with the moon in the sky, it was just beautiful.  Then everyone danced for hours on the deck.  

We also signed up to build our own gingerbread house since it was close to the Christmas holiday this was an activity offered on the ship.  Not only did we get freshly baked gingerbread and all the material to make a gingerbread house.  They also had a chef proving instructions to help everyone successfully build and decorate their house.  We were able to take our gingerbread house back to our rooms to consume, but we could not bring it off the ship.  

Some of the adult entertainment was great as well. As I mentioned before my husband and I enjoyed some of the adult only pools, coffee shops, and hot tubs when the kids were at their explorer club and preteen clubs.  Disney Cruises are unique in that they have a section of the ship that is dedicated for adults only.  This is great because most of the ship is swimming with children of all ages. Adults can get away in the Adult only areas or if you are traveling without children you can hang out in this area and the pools, hot tubs, coffee shops, and even bars are empty.  I think we saw one other person in the hot tub and only a few in the coffee shop.  Other Cruises everyone is always mixed together and you never have any space in a pool, hot tub, at a bar, or even a quiet moment to drink coffee.  

So, what did we do off the ship? in the Bahamas, we did some shopping but we did not do any of the excursions at this stop. When we docked at the Disney island in the Bahamas we rented bikes to explore the island.  There was this really cool tower we climbed to the top you could see almost the whole island from the top.  Once we were back at the beach we rented snorkeling gear.  We snorkeled for hours, we saw the sunken Mickey, we saw fire coral, swam with sea turtles, and tons of fish.  It was a great experience for the kids this was their first time snorkeling.  We hung out on the beach the rest of the day.  Disney provided a cookout on the beach which included all kinds of BBQ options.  The food was great and the desserts were even better. 

Before boarding the ship we saw a Christmas tree all decorated with snow falling around it and the Disney characters available for pictures.  It was such a great surprise to see the beautiful decorations on such a remote, mostly uninhabited island.  

The next day it was time to leave. It was a sad day to walk off that ship and say goodbye to the lovely wait staff that had taken care of us for dinner each night and return to reality.  Being on that ship was like being in a dream.  No worries, just building memories and having fun.  I can't wait till our next opportunity to go on a Disney Cruise and I hope each of you also gets the opportunity to board this magical Disney Cruise line.   

Packing for a Tropical Destination

Traveling to a tropical destination? Maybe you're going on a cruise, hitting the beach in Florida, or someplace more exotic.  There are some key must-haves when traveling to a tropical / sub-tropical location.

#1 - Sunscreen - you will need a lot of sunscreens. The sun rays are always worse around water. Here in Florida, you can burn in as little as 15 minutes, so lather that sunblock on and make sure you reapply it every 80 minutes. I personally like Elta MD sunscreen the sport is your best option as it is suitable for swimming and sweating.

#2 - sunglasses - you will need some shade for your eyes.  You'll enjoy the views much better with a good pair of sunglasses. Plus you will protect your eyes from those harmful rays. I would recommend  polarized sunglasses as your eyes will be more protected

3# - Sandles - Down here in the summer, spring, and part of the fall season no one willingly wears "real shoes".  We love our sandals and flip-flops. I would recommend something that is slip resistant. tropical regions get a lot of rain in the warmer months plus if your swimming your feet will be wet. You don't want to get injured while you are on vacation.

#4 - Water bottle - You will become dehydrated really quickly in the heat and humidity.  It is important to keep water on hand. You may not notice that you are dehydrated till its too late. a reusable bottle is a great way to save cash, protect the environment, and stay hydrated. If you're going to be doing a lot of walking around I would recommend either a camelback backpack or a collapsible hydration bottle.

#5 - Bug spray - If your anything like me the mosquitos love to pick you out of a crowd.  I find myself either traveling with a small can of bug spray or picking one up once I arrive especially if I plan on doing any hiking. There are lots of different types of bug spray out there, if you're doing some hiking I would recommend a deep woods spray to help with ticks and chiggers.  If you are just hanging out or taking a walk in the evening you should be fine with a regular bug spray my favorite is Off smooth and dry.

#6 - A swimsuit - who doesn't want to get their feet wet and enjoy the water on a tropical vacation.  Don't forget your swimsuit maybe even 2 so you have an extra while your primary one is drying out.

#7 - A good attitude - have some fun, relax, and let your worries melt away.  Afterall you're on a beautiful tropical or sub-tropical vacation.

Planning Our New York City Vacation

Having school-age children one of the biggest struggles is timing.  Our children attend public school and participate in sports activities, therefore, finding a time where both children are out of school and do not have sports activities to attend.  As I'm sure this is a challenge for many traveling families.  Typically what we have found is Spring break, winter break, and Thanksgiving break are usually the best options for our schedule and for our budget.  Summer is usually hectic with sports camps and mandatory band camps plus summer is one of the most expensive times to travel.

So, when we think of taking a trip we don't set a destination, in the beginning, we think of a few places we might like to visit and the times we are available that year and begin looking for flights and hotel prices.  That's how we ended up choosing New York City for our spring break trip last year.  Using Google.com/flights we were able to find amazing prices for flights through Jet Blue directly from Jacksonville Florida to New York City.  Not only were the flights a great price compared to other airlines but we also had in-flight movies and got to pick our seats for free.  I know a lot of airlines charge for that option nowadays and don't always offer in-flight entertainment, especially for short flights.  

After booking our flights we began searching for a place to stay.  We knew we wanted to be in a safe neighborhood, close to metro stops as we didn't want to rent a car, and we wanted the hotel to provide breakfast. During this trip, we would also be traveling with my sister, Aunt, and cousin so we would need 3 rooms.  I searched several discount sites such as hotels.com, kayak.com, and Trivago.com as well as direct hotel sites for weeks.  During my searches, I also set up alerts to get notifications if pricing dropped.  I compared locations in the city center vs. outside the city.  It is much less expensive to stay outside the city and commute to the city.  So I focused on hotels outside the city that offered free breakfast.  Each time I considered a hotel I read the reviews posted by customers that had stayed there before me.  Not only reviews posted on the sites I searched but also other sites for that same hotel.  I always want to make sure I am staying in a clean, reputable hotel, and safe hotel.  

After a month of searching, we located a hotel that met our needs for about $100 a night per room.  Considering all the research I had done during this time the price was great.  The rooms were comfortable and clean when we arrived as well.  The location was perfect for our stay.  I will say the breakfast wasn't as good as we had hoped for but for the price it wasn't bad.  

Now that we had a place to stay I began researching things for us to do while we were there.  Each of us had our "must see" list so I started with that.  I took the list of things that we all wanted to see and went to each of the sites to see the entry cost and the days/times the facility was open.  Then looked for tour groups and city pass options.  You can save a ton of money with a city pass option if you are visiting a lot of sites and the price of the pass is right vs the entry fee of the attraction, you should always compare the two before purchasing.  I compared the cost of our entry fee with The City Pass of New York, the The New York Pass, and so many more.  We found that the New York pass provided us with more of the activities we wanted access to plus free tours, hop on hop off bus and there was a mobile app we could download to help us find each attraction.  

We used the New York Pass for two tours, the river cruise, and access to museums, 911 memorial, top of the rock, Empire State building, the hop on hop off bus., Statue of Liberty, and so much more  We ended up spending about 20% less than we would have if we purchased entrance to the attractions.  That's including if we had chosen to access the museums on their free days.  

If you're interested in visiting the Bronx Zoo they also offer Wednesdays where you can donate what you want to visit their facility.  I would recommend checking out their website to verify they are still running this promotion before planning your trip, however, this promotion was running during our visit.  We were able to access the zoo without a taxi or car rental.  We used the metro to commute to and from the zoo.  

For the Metro, we purchased a 7-day unlimited card when we arrived in New York City.  You can purchase these at any of the kiosks in New York City.  They are found at most of the main metro stations.  You can locate them on the New Your City Metro website. The unlimited card was significantly less expensive than paying per ride on the metro.  We purchased an unlimited card for each family member but we later leaned on our New York City Tour that we could have purchased fewer cards because up to 4 people can share a card as it can be passed back to another person and swiped again up to 4 times. You can also download a New York City Metro app on your mobile device to assist you with navigating around the city.  

These are tips and tricks that I used to plan my families New York City trip this last spring on a moderate budget.  I hope you find this information helpful when planning your next trip to New York City.

Recent Adventures in NYC

This past spring my family, some extended family, and myself traveled to New York City. We spent months planning our trip as we were traveling on a budget and only had a week to see the city.  After months of planning, researching, and exploring the city I have several tips to share with you. 

First I would like to start off by saying make sure you research the airport you are arriving in to see if Uber, Juno, or other car services are recommended or are at least familiar with the pickup process at the airport. The Juno service in New York was not familiar with JFK airport procedures and after waiting for 30 minutes in freezing cold weather we watched our Juno app while the driver drove away.  Juno was kind enough to refund our electronic payment and the airport customer service was able to get us quick and inexpensive transportation across the city.  In fact they arranged for our party of 7 transportation nearly 40 minutes from the airport for only $80.  This was a great price, the Juno driver was charging us $100, taxi's would have charged us much more and most can not accomodate such large parties without waiting long periods.  We waited about 10 minutes for a van to arrive.  For return to the airport our hotel was able to get us the same service.  

I would also advise when looking for a place to stay consider staying outside the city center.  Its all about location, so your going to pay for location.  True staying in city center is convenient however, staying outside the city you get to save $100 or more each night per room. Plus you get to experience what most of the New York population experience every day when commuting to the city.  By staying outside the city we found great food, experienced riding the metro into the city daily with most of the residents of the city.  It felt like a more authentic experience and less like being a tourist.

You should be prepared to navigate the New York Metro stations.  There is absolutely no need to return a car or take a taxi even if your staying in one of the outlying boroughs.  The Metro stations are everywhere and are super convenient but can be confusing if you aren't careful.  During our visit they had metro lines under repair which made it more confusing but with modern technology at our fingertips we were able to download a metro app and find our way around without getting lost.  Most of the larger stops have security guards or an attendant to ask questions if you need assistance. 

Another great tip about the metro is you can buy unlimited cards to use for a week or longer depending on how long you are going to be there. Also, something the metro site does not tell you but a New Yorker will, you can use 1 unlimited card for up to 4 people. Meaning you can buy 1 unlimited card the first person can swipe to go through the metro gate and then pass the ticket back to another person to use for entry.  This can be done up to four times before the ticket will read as invalid for up to an hour.  After the hour you can use your ticket again.  

If you plan to visit any of the museums they are wonderful to visit and have coat check options if you are visiting in the winter as we did.  Take advantage of the coat check some are free and others are only a few dollars.  Some museums are free on certain days of the week so check the website to see if they have a day that is free to the public.  Also some are closed on certain days of the week so plan your itinerary accordingly.  Also if your looking for the MoMA they have two locations.  The famous Starry Night painting is located in the Manhattan location.  My daughter loved the museums the beautiful paintings, statues, and art.  

If you are planning to visit some of the other sites such as the 911 memorial, statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, or take any city tours then I would recommend the New Yorker pass.  We purchased this pass and we received hop on and hop off bus passes for the city which was amazing. Plus we received free entrance to all of the major city sites including museums if you dont want to visit on a free day.  We were also able to take a New York City walking tour with the pass as well as a SoHo tour.  The SoHo tour was wonderful we were able to try desert in little Italy and dumplings in China town.  after the tour we even chose to eat at a wonderful restaurant in China town that was recommended by our tour guide.  This was the best food we had while in New York.  

One of my absolute favorite things to do was the night time cruise along the river.  This was also included in our New York Pass. The city is so beautiful at night and the cruise captain was wonderful pointing out all the different building and bridges.  The boat was designed well for all different types of weather, when we visited the average temperature was high 40's and low teens.  Even with these cold temperatures we were able to enjoy this wonderful river cruise as they have heated indoor and outdoor seating. the windows are very large allowing you to view the sites just as well from indoors as you can outside.  If you have time to take a cruise like this I would highly recommend it.  

My sons favorite locations were the bronx zoo and the intrepid sea and air museum.  It does take some time to get to the sea and air museum, the closest metro stop is a bit of a walk but it is great to walk through these neighborhoods.  We walked through Hells Kitchen and ate lunch in a Greek restaurant on our way back from the sea and air museum. The zoo was very fascinating as well.  a lot of the animals are not on exhibit during the winter due to their need to be warm but the ones that were out were great.  The best part is on Wednesdays the zoo is on a pay what you would like to donate so if you cant afford to pay their regular price for admission for a large group you can choose your own price on Wednesday.  The Zoo has some beautiful scenery with a small waterfall and foliage.  It is one of the nicer zoo's we have been to.  The only one my family has enjoyed more is the National zoo in Washington DC.  

If you get the opportunity you should take a walk through Central Park. It is a beautiful park and it was much larger than we though.  The day we visited it was snowing the park is even more beautiful in the snow.  Being from Florida the family and I spent more time than we expected in Central Park enjoying the beauty of the snow.  

Even if you don't plan to buy anything while you are in New York you should check out some of the cool stores on time square.  The M&M store is crazy busy but they have some really neat stuff that i've not seen in any other store. Of course you could order the items online but seeing the store in person is an experience.  It's 3 floors full of M&M history and fun.  Then there is the Hersey store, it has everything supersized. A 3lb Hersey bar or Kit Kat bar sound good to you? Or how about a make your own Smore bar?  they have it all, go and check it out it smells amazing too.  

Also, remember when visiting New York City its the city that never sleeps so you can plan your dinner later than you would normally eat to avoid long wait in line for a table and avoid eating in time square or high traffic areas.  You will pay less, have more table space, and spend less time waiting and more time enjoying your time.  Museums will still close early but other places are open late like the river cruises, top of the rock, and empire state building.  So plan your day to make the most of your time.  Also, if your a light sleeper like I am take some ear plugs and download a white noise app on your phone.  Otherwise you will never get any sleep theres traffic and city noise all night long.  

We loved our visit to New York City, it truly is a beautiful city and the people are strong and welcoming.  I would encourage anyone that is thinking about visiting the city to not waste another day, start planning your trip today.