When you visit Hollywood, California, you have to book a stay at an iconic hotel.

Not too long ago, our family made a visit to the L.A. and Hollywood area in California. I had already done the Hollywood tour before but my kids had not so I had to pick an iconic hotel to get the Old Hollywood ambience. Chateau Marmont kept popping up in my mind and so it had to be the one.

If you are not familiar with Chateau Marmont, it is a hotel located at 8221 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. The hotel, modeled after a French Chateau, first opened in 1929 as an exclusive apartment complex.

According to Wikipedia:

It has a total of 63 rooms, suites, and bungelows. Chateau Marmont was eventually converted into a hotel. In 1976, Chateau Marmont became one of Los Angeles’ Historical-Cultural Landmarks.The hotel was acquired and restored in 1990 by André Balazs. Throughout the years, Chateau Marmont has gained recognition. Sofia Coppola directed her film Somewhere at the hotel in 2010. The hotel was also a location for Oliver Stone’s The Doors. Singer Lana Del Rey lived at Chateau Marmont during the beginning of her fame in 2012, as well as alluding to the hotel in her song “Off to the Races”. Residents from the past include John Belushi (died of an overdose in bungalow 3), Jim Morrison, and Lindsay Lohan (allegedly was kicked out for not paying her bill) just to name a few. The hotel also made a brief appearance in the 2016 musical film La La Land.

I’ll admit I considered trying to stay in Bungalow 3 to test out the haunted hotel rumors. But unfortunately (or fortunately??) it wasn’t available so we didn’t come across any wandering spirits.

You can learn more about the interesting lore at Chateau Marmont here. https://la.curbed.com/2013/6/26/10227258/a-totally-incomplete-history-of-trouble-at-the-chateau-marmont-1

Here is the valet and the entrance to the garage and hotel. You can see how private the entrance is.

Here are a couple pictures of the lobby area:

This is the view form the lobby looking out into the courtyard area:

We stayed only one night because we had 7 people. The price per night started at $450-550 for a regular room and we needed two of them for our family. The price can go all the way up to $5000 plus a night for a penthouse. My husband and I stayed in one suite (included a full kitchen) while my mother-in-law got to share one with the kids.

Our suite had vintage appliances and furniture/decor to keep that timeless feel. When I walked into the hotel, it even smelled vintage, but in a good way.  

The kids’ room had a beautiful tall window with a balcony. The small bedroom area had a queen bed and the living room had a couch, chairs, and a desk.

Here are a couple of pictures taken from my suite:

I took the kids out to the pool. It was nice to see a handful of other kids. There were some nice chaise lounges and umbrellas with towels. I didn’t take any pictures of the pool area as there were quite a few people and wanted to respect their privacy. 

My mother-in-law watched the kids while Donnie and I went to dinner outside in the courtyard. That is my husband, not a celebrity 😉

The balcony in my kids’ room actually looked out onto the patio/courtyard area where the dining tables were. The rooms with the awnings were the penthouses, I believe. The weather was beautiful.

In my research, I read that taking pictures or videos wasn’t really allowed in order to preserve the privacy of any celebrity guest. I didn’t see anyone recognizable on my visit, although that is not to say that there weren’t any staying there. I had a lapse in memory and took some photos of the lobby and courtyard area during dinner but thankfully I didn’t get in trouble.

The customer service was very good. When we took a private tour with L.A. Insider Tours the day of check out, the Chateau Marmont staff were nice enough to allow us to keep our car parked in the garage even after check out time, until we were dropped off later in the afternoon.

I enjoyed our stay at the Chateau Marmont and my chance to experience the lifestyle of the rich and famous for a few hours. I definitely recommend staying here if you want to get transported back in time to Old Hollywood. If you want to walk, eat, and sleep where Jim Morrison, John Belushi, or Lindsay Lohan have before, book at least one night with your significant other or bring the whole family!

Do you have a favorite Hollywood hotel? Share in the comments below.

One of our favorite character meals is the Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo & Stitch at ‘OHana, located in Walt Disney World’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Bring your ‘Ohana (family) to meet Lilo and Stitch and friends (we also got to hang with Mickey Mouse and Pluto!) to enjoy a family-style breakfast. Selections typically include scrambled eggs, Island-style fried potatoes, Hawaiian pork sausages, Hawaiian-style ham topped with pineapple compote, a variety of fresh fruits and assorted breads. The “POG” juice is amazing. It is a blend of papaya, orange, and guava juices. And of course breakfast at Disney wouldn’t be the real thing without the original Mickey Waffle!

The characters spent a lot of time at our table and were very interactive. It melted my heart to see my youngest child giving hugs and kisses to Mickey, his favorite character.

During the breakfast, they also have the kids parade and dance around the restaurant with the characters.

This is a popular breakfast so make sure you book it starting 180 days before your arrival to your Disney Resort hotel. Have you been to this breakfast? What is your favorite Disney character meal? Comment below!

Check out my review of Port Orleans Riverside resort at Disney World.

Last fall we visited one of my favorite places: Disney World! Since we have a family of 6 people, we aren’t a fan of tight spaces. We all do much better in keeping all of our sanity when we each have our own space while on vacation. I think we can all relate when I say that sometimes too much togetherness isn’t always peachy. In order to get more space for our dollar, we often rent a house for our Disney vacation. Even though we don’t get a couple Disney perks like we would if staying on property, it is well worth the sacrifice to have more space while spending the same amount or less on a Disney resort hotel. We’ve stayed at a couple other places but decided to try out a new resort: Encore Club Resort at Reunion in Kissimmee, Florida.

We were not disappointed. In fact we were quite impressed!

Our home was individually owned, but managed by Jeeves Florida Rentals which helped our booking go smoothly.

What I loved about our 5 Bedroom Vacation Rental and the Encore Club:

• 6 minutes from Disney
• Upscale gated community with luxury amenities
• 5 – 12 bedroom vacation rental homes with pools

• Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball courts, Soccer field, and play area

• Family friendly restaurant
• Fitness center & bike/surrey rentals
• Resort style concierge, front desk, and 24-hour service line
• World class AquaPark including incredible kids splash area, four water slides, adult pool with VIP cabanas optional, pool Bar & grille, & Arcade
• Multiple on-site restaurants
• Complimentary shuttle service to the Walt Disney World parks, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, shopping malls, and outlet stores

The best thing is that each kid had their own room with a t.v. so we all could chill and unwind at the end of a busy day in the parks together.

This resort would be perfect for wedding, corporate, or sports groups as well as multigenerational families.

My kids loved the private pool at the house, but especially loved the huge waterpark:

The food we ordered at the pool was delicious.

We also ordered take out from the restaurant which we brought back home with us but you also have the option for home delivery. If you really want to feel like a V.I.P., you can also book a personal chef, catering services, bartending services or grocery home delivery to your vacation rental.

Need theme park tickets? The Encore Concierge staff can arrange for tickets to a favorite show or a theme park. Concierge can also set up a mobile spa service in case you need a relaxing massage after hitting the parks.

The beautiful Encore Club also has:

• An “On the Go” market to purchase convenience items or snacks needed for a long day at the amusements or for a relaxing day at your private pool or waterpark
• “Hang Ten Hideaway” which has a “Kids Play Zone” that offers a ton of fun for kids including gaming systems, activities, crafts, and more.

I’m excited that we found a new “home away from home” for when we visit the attractions in Orlando, FL area. I can’t wait to book another Encore Club Resort at Reunion luxury vacation home for our trip in the Fall 2018!

This summer’s BIG family vacation is a foray into the “land of the midnight sun”: Alaska! My itinerary suggestions can help you plan a trip to Alaska as well as get an idea of the costs to consider. This will be everyone’s first time to visit. I think it will be really different to have so many hours of daylight. When we go, the sunrise will be around 4:19 a.m. and the sun won’t set until around 11:39 p.m.! I’m curious how my family will adjust to the time change and the long days. We may have some grizzlies of our own for a few days as we adjust.

I’ve done a ton of research for my trip, as usual. I love trip planning which is why I became a home based travel agent. I enjoy planning my trips as well as others. See my recent blog post about being a home based travel agent.

I am going to break down my itinerary for you. I would love to get some input about any last minute changes or experiences to add. I will also add the approximate cost of each thing we do be it an excursion, tour, attraction, etc.

This is NO lie: Excursions in Alaska will give you sticker shock. Probably more so if you have a larger family of 6 like me. Yes, you can camp in Alaska and bring your own fishing gear and save money. Hiking is free (usually) or really cheap. But you may want to do more things than just camp and hike since you are coming out all this way. I don’t like camping (I’m weird that way), so that means more money for hotels, etc. Also, many of the really amazing attractions that are unique to Alaska require transportation like helicopters, boats, and airplanes.

Exploring and ice climbing a glacier is not something you want to do on your own unless you want to end up in a crevasse somewhere. You need to hire a guide for that. Unless you have 3 months to explore Alaska, I recommend a cruise or a type of marine boat tour in order to cover the most ground. There is only so much you can get to in a car in the amount of time that you have in your typical visit. We decided to do a 7 night cruise to see as much as we could with little headache. We also will be doing some interior touring on our own, although you can purchase a Cruise Tour before or after a cruise.

Also, I will admit I am not a budget traveler. I do like to get a good deal and save where I can. I know some of these costs could be reduced if you were a budget traveler. This is not a low budget trip.

With that being said, we will move on.

Day 1: Vancouver, B.C., Canada

We will fly in a Delta Comfort Plus seat because we get Sky Priority boarding and 4 inches more legroom. For us tall people, it is a must for long flights. My husband, who is 6’4”, said he was okay with paying the extra $90 per person to have the extra leg room. We wanted to sit all together too. You could save some money and not upgrade the seats. We have a short layover at LAX and will then fly on West Jest, a Canadian airline, from LAX to Vancouver International Airport.

Cost: $2426.58 ($404.43 per person)

We will stay 2 nights at 910 Beach Avenue, a contemporary apartment hotel. There were a couple reasons I chose this place, but there are some less expensive options.

Cost: $825 (USD) $349.56/night + tax x 2 nights

Day 2: Vancouver Landsea Tour & Adventures

While we are in Vancouver, we want to get an overview of the city. We are taking the “City Highlights” tour which is a 4-hour excursion through the city to popular stops such as: Stanley Park, Granville Island, the Vancouver Lookout, Gastown, Chinatown, Robson Street, English Bay Vancouver Harbour and more. I really like that they will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. They can also drop you off at the port if you are getting on or off a cruise that same day. I chose this option because we only had an afternoon to explore and time is of the essence. This one was also convenient and reasonably priced. 

Cost: $280 ($62.28 per adult and $38.93 for kids (USD))

Day 3: 7 Night Voyage of the Glaciers Northbound Cruise from Vancouver (Princess Cruise Line)

From our hotel, we will take a taxi to the port and get there early enough to enjoy the ship! Since I booked the cruise a little later than I recommend (which would normally be right when they are released), I ended up with four of us in a mini suite and two across the hall in an inside cabin. That was the only way to get the cabins close together. I am fine as long as we have at least one room with a balcony. I actually am considering doing this in the future as it does save several hundred dollars than if we did connecting rooms with balconies. I highly recommend a balcony cabin for cruises. It makes it so much more enjoyable.

Cost: $8704 for both cabins

Day 4: Inside Passage

Today is an “at sea” day.

Things to see in the Inside Passage:

• Glacier-carved fjords
• Pristine forested shores
• Whales, dolphins and other marine life
• Bald eagles and tufted puffins
• Towering granite cliffs
• Cascading waterfalls
• Majestic snowcapped mountains
• Thousands of untouched islands

As a tradition, I like to schedule a massage at the spa on “sea days”. I just get a basic Swedish massage so I can check out the spa areas. I also like to schedule a specialty dinner with just my husband on sea days. That way we don’t have to rush around trying to get ready after a long excursion day. I made a reservation for the Crown Grill.  The kids will eat and enjoy activities in each of their clubs. I love getting to do date nights on cruises!

Day 5: Ketchikan

I’m excited to have booked the highly rated, Deadliest Catch Crab Fishermen’s Tour!:

“Experience the thrills of Bering Sea without leaving the calm, sheltered waters of the Inside Passage. This eventful 3-hour cruise aboard the Aleutian Ballad is the ideal Alaska adventure for the whole family. Imagine being aboard a real Bering Sea crab fishing boat from the award-winning TV series “Deadliest Catch” on a relaxing jaunt off the coast of Ketchikan. You’ll see amazing sea creatures and get hands-on experience while interacting with crabs, prawns, octopus and more: all designed to bring the world of the commercial fisherman to life….A stop near Annette Island may offer sightings of bald eagles, seals, sea lions, whales, and native Alaska fishermen at work.”–Alaska Crab Tours

Here is where I actually saved money. I booked this one with Princess because it was already sold out directly from the tour operator’s website. The nice thing about Princess Cruise Line, is that they have a 110% Excursion Price Match Guarantee. So if you find the same tour and it costs less, they will give you back 110% of the price difference as onboard credit. This tour qualified and got me a nice chunk of change back: $250 to be exact!!  

Princess Cruise Line also offers a $100 onboard credit for military men and women! My husband, an Air Force Reservist and was able to get the $100 applied. It was super easy to do. Their customer service is very quick to respond.

Cost: $859.70 ($219.95 13+ yrs and $149.95 under 13 yrs) with $250 onboard credit 

Day 5: Juneau

On this stop, we decided to sign up for salmon shoreside fishing. I would like to do a fishing excursion but they are usually several hours long. My 6 year old probably wouldn’t last long. I could almost hear him fussing: “When are we going to be done??” The shoreside option was also a lower price. This tour also includes visiting the salmon hatchery.

Princess has an option for an excursion that you can “Cook your Catch”. They will clean it and cook it up for you to be served at your table for dinner on the cruise ship. That would have been really neat, but that excursion did not work with our schedule so we chose the next best option. The shoreside salmon fishing will give you the opportunity to have the salmon that you caught, shipped to your home for a fee. This excursion was actually less expensive through Princess so I did not apply for the Price Match.

Cost: $779.70 ($149.95 per adult 13+ and $109.95 for under 13)

Lastly, for the afternoon in Juneau, we will be on Harv & Marv’s Whale Watching Tour. I booked this one on my own, not through Princess. From my understanding, it is a small, locally owned business and has great reviews.

The boat we are going on holds up to 6 passengers so it will essentially be a private tour on a smaller boat. If you have children under the age of 13, then your are required to do the smaller, private tour. Otherwise there are larger boats that hold up to 18 people for those with young children. Harv & Marv’s is a popular excursion in Juneau. They were really nice to work with our schedule as we will have to end our tour a little early to get back to the ship on time. I think they also gave us a little discount since it would be shorter. Great customer service!

Cost: $1020.00 ($165 pp plus tax)

Day 6: Skagway

On this day in Skagway, we have an excursion with Skagway Shore Tours: Yukon Discovery and Sled Dog Tour:

“This full-day scenic tour starts in Skagway and begins with a beautiful, picturesque ride north over the White Pass summit to Canada’s Yukon Territory, paralleling the White Pass scenic railway. The Yukon Discovery & Sled Dog Tour is narrated with local Klondike history by your guide and contains photo opportunities just about everywhere you look. What separates this tour from the Yukon Discovery Tour is an extra bonus: an exciting 1-mile ride on a customized, wheeled dog cart with real Iditarod huskies. Once you arrive in the Yukon, a lunch break with free time provides the opportunity to not only visit with the husky puppies, but to experience what it’s like being pulled by a team of these elite runners. Along the ride, the local mushers, who are professional racers in the winter, share stories about what it’s like training, caring for and racing up to 90 dogs at a time!” –Shore Tours website

I really wanted to do the dog sledding on the snow for this trip. But the only way to do that in the summer is fly in a helicopter onto a glacier. I wasn’t able to find an airplane/dog sled combo tour. Of course the prices are expensive (around $600 per person), but what deterred us is the helicopter. My husband flies planes and doesn’t feel safe flying in a helicopter and I agree with him on that. We also chose not to do it in Hawaii. We chose to do an airplane tour instead which was lovely. We will do an airplane excursion in Alaska, it just won’t be on a glacier. More about that later. 

I figured this would be the next best thing: a wheeled dog cart. My kids are thrilled that they are going to get to play with the puppies!

Before heading back to the ship, we plan on exploring the town a little bit.

Cost: $830 ($145 per adult, $119 per child)

Day 7: Glacier Bay (Scenic Cruising)

“Princess is one of a select few cruise lines permitted to cruise the pristine waters of Glacier Bay, the highlight of our 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise. Just west of Juneau, this breathtaking national park and preserve boasts some of the world’s most spectacular tidewater glaciers, such as Margerie Glacier, which often drops colossal chunks of ice into the sea. Not surprisingly, Glacier Bay National Park and its epic ice giants are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising Alaska’s magnificent park system. During your scenic cruise, friendly Park Rangers will join the ship to share their knowledge of this amazing place and host a fun Junior Ranger program for kids. They may even be able to help you identify Glacier Bay’s abundant wildlife, including humpback whales, sea otters, porpoises, harbor seals, black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles and large colonies of seabirds. Take in the awe-inspiring scenery as you enjoy an unforgettable day of sailing through this dazzling park, where you’ll glide along emerald waters and past calving icebergs, and can breathe in the crisp, fresh air to your heart’s content.”–Princess Cruise Line

Another date night with my husband on this night, including dinner in the Italian specialty restaurant, Sabatini.

Day 8: College Fjord (Scenic Cruising)

“Discovered in the northwest corner of Prince William Sound during an 1899 research expedition, spectacular College Fjord and its glaciers were named after prestigious east coast schools by the college professors who first laid eyes upon their majesty. Stretching for miles, these massive rivers of ice tumble down from mountains and through valleys, dipping into the pristine waters of the fjord. There you’ll have a chance to watch the awe-inspiring process of glaciers calving, or dropping enormous pillars of ice into the sea, as they crack and land with a thunderous splash – a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to be missed! College Fjord not only boasts the world’s largest collection of tidewater glaciers, but it features magnificent snowcapped mountains as far as the eyes can see. Plus, during the summer, it’s not unheard of to catch a glimpse of one of the area’s 40-ton humpback whales feeding in the waters of the fjord.”– Princess Cruise Line

Last day of the cruise!

Day 9: Whittier, Alaska: Disembark Princess Cruise Line

There are more excursions here in Whittier to cruise more glaciers, but we will hop on a shuttle bus towards Anchorage in the morning of disembarkation. I wanted to rent a car from Whittier but they sell out quickly and did not have any rentals for 6 people available. I would love to ride the rail out of here but it doesn’t leave until early evening so we chose to book the Narrated Non-Stop Transfer with Alaska Cruise Transportation. They have options with stops at places along the way like the Wildlife Conservation Center.

Cost: $208 ($38 per person with a 10% Early Bird discount)

This day will include a little more riding and driving than I would like. Once we get to the Anchorage airport to pick up our rental mini van, we will head north east to our glacier trek with Mica Guides near Sutton, Alaska.

Cost: $566 (rental van for approx. 4 days including taxes and fees)

The reason we are doing the glacier trek here instead of Mendenhall, is because this was the only company I could find that would allow kids as young as my littlest who is 6. All the other tours I found required the minimum age to be at least 8 years old or even 12+ yrs minimum, for good reason. You do have to book a private tour but I am so glad we will get to strap on some crampons and trek on a glacier instead of just looking at it from a distance. This tour is on the Matanuska Glacier. I believe they have different ranges of treks. I just hope I get to see an ice cave!

Cost: $620.64 ($89 ages 12+ yrs, $69 ages 8-11 yrs, plus $25 pp park fee)

After our trek, we will head to our hotel at the Anchorage Grande. We will stay the night and then head south. 

Cost: $526 (two rooms for one night)

Day 10: Soldotna

Today we will drive south towards Soldotna to spend a couple days down south. We are thinking of stopping at the Wildlife Conservation Center on our way down. If we do this stop, it will be our cheapest excursion of them all!

Cost: $54 (tickets range from $10-15 with 6 and under being free)

We have an Airbnb reservation in Soldotna so we will check out the area and then hunker down for the night.

Cost: $593 (2 nights)

Day 11: Bear Viewing and Flight-seeing

Today will be exciting as we will be doing a flight-seeing tour in an airplane with Natron Air.  We will land on the beach at Cook Inlet in order to see brown bears up close. 

“This flight takes us over the Cook Inlet oil platforms, past two active volcanoes (Mt. Redoubt and Mt. Iliamna) in Lake Clark National Park, and over the bays and estuaries of the western shore of Cook Inlet. We then traverse Double Glacier down to the wet lands where we quite often see Beavers, Wolves, Moose, Bears, and Seals. This flight includes a beach landing in which we will stop and stretch our legs and take pictures of the bears in their natural environment.This tour is so awesome, you get your monies worth the first 30 minutes, and the rest of the tour is free!”–Natron Air

I left the rest of the afternoon open to either chill out at the rental house or to go kayaking.

Cost: $2400 ($395 pp plus tax)

Day 12: Anchorage

Today we will drive back to Anchorage and will probably spend some time exploring the city. We fly out of Anchorage to Seattle the following day.

I know it is a shocker that we did not plan a trip up to Denali National Park. Isn’t it a “quintessential” stop in Alaska? Why are we not going there, you ask? Well after much thought and research, I had to weigh the time, cost, and return on investment. It would be a 10 hour drive round trip from Anchorage or 16 hours by rail which is super expensive. Although it would be a fun way to go if we had more time and money. It will require at least 2 nights hotel minimum to visit DNP.  All to ride on a (free except for the park entrance fee) slow, bumpy, packed school bus for 8 or more hours (53 miles in but longer if you go the entire 90+ miles) round trip in the hopes of seeing a bear, moose, or dall sheep up close.

There are 6 million acres and 9,500 sq. miles in Denali park. There is no guarantee you will see much up close other than trees, grass, and big rocks. Plus trying to see an animal close up with about 60 other people scrambling to get a picture doesn’t sound very fun. It’s a gamble. It’s an expensive crap shoot. Dall sheep are usually little white dots far away on a cliffside. I will see bears up close with only 6 other people and no barrier on our flight tour with Natron Air. I’m sure I will see a moose at some point in time along the entire trip as many are sighted in town and around neighborhoods (or the Wildlife Conservation Center). I know my younger kids would not be happy campers stuck on a bus with loud people or whiny kids (probably mine) for that long. Yes, they have short attention spans but honestly I would probably be bored after about an hour of that ride too unless there were oodles of animals pouring out from behind the bushes.

Even if you want to see the highest peak in North America, Mt. McKinley, it is only visible 30% of the time and is covered by clouds the other 70% of the time. Another option is a flight seeing tour which gets you a bird’s eye view of the mountain. I would opt for that but it would be another $500-600 per person. Our budget is maxed out. Our Natron Air flight goes over Mt. Redoubt and Mt. Iliamna, so I feel like that will be close enough. I will just pretend it is Mt. Mckinley. So I won’t be getting that t-shirt that says, “I visited Mt. McKinley”. I just don’t think that the return on investment is worth it. Call me crazy. Maybe I’m completely wrong. That is ok.

Day 13: Fly to Seattle, Washington

We will do some touring on our own. Probably will include the Space Needle, Pike’s Place, the first Starbucks, etc. We will stay that night at the Embassy Suites hotel.

Cost: $1018 ($169.80 pp) for flights to Seattle

Cost: $355/night for hotel

Day 14: Fly Home 

We will again be flying Delta Comfort Plus for our flight from Seattle to Raleigh.

Cost: $2137 ($356 pp)

The total trip cost doesn’t include food outside of the cruise, souvenirs, and insurance, etc.

Approximate Total Trip Cost: $24,203 

I am getting so excited about our trip coming up!! Have you visited or lived in Alaska? What are your favorite stops or things to do? Share in the comments below and subscribe to my blog Fit Travel Mom to read about my post-trip recap. 

Recently, we spent our Spring Break deep in the heart Texas! I was born in Austin and lived in the surrounding area (Round Rock and Georgetown) for the first 16 years of my life. Since my sister had just moved to San Antonio and my kids hadn’t been to Texas before, it was a good time to visit their cousins in San Antonio. The kids would also get “the tour” about my childhood days in Texas. Were they thrilled to see the houses I used to live in or the high school I used to attend (Eagle Fight Never Dies!) in Georgetown, Texas? Of course not. But it didn’t matter because they were going to see it all regardless.

*Contains affiliate links

We flew in our TBM 700  (we call it “Shelton Airlines”) to Texas. Even though we were going to start our tour of Texas in San Antonio with my sister, we flew into Austin and rented our car there and then drove the 1.5 hours to hours to San Antonio the next morning. It was Final Four 2018 weekend which was taking place at the Alamodome. So car rentals were double the price at around $600-700 for the week in San Antonio versus getting it outside of Austin. We were going to go back and tour the Austin area anyway.

Day 1: Natural Bridge Caverns and Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch

We met my sister at the Natural Bridge Caverns. It got its name from two large stones that jut out and meet in the middle forming a natural bridge.

Caverns are huge under ground caves usually formed by water. They have 3 different types of tours. We went on the Discovery Tour which was about 75 minutes long. It was really interesting to see how big the cavern was and all of the columns and formations made from the stalagmites and stalactites. At one point we were 180 feet below the ground. It is 70 degrees year round with 99% humidity inside. There a couple steep walking sections that I would take into consideration for those with mobility issues. It was a great workout for me as it got my heart rate up pretty good when walking up hill.

There is also a tour where they turn out all of the lights and you get to sit in complete darkness as well as a Lantern Tour. The Caverns also have other activities like a small zip line, really tall ropes course (canopy challenge), a maze, and gem mining.Next, we drove next door to the Natural Bridge Caverns Wildlife Ranch. We drove up to the window and bought our tickets (you can’t buy them online) and bags of food to feed the animals. They give you one free bag per car. We got to hand feed zebras (they warn us that they can bite), emus, burros, ostriches and more.

We stopped at the Petting Zoo area to see the baby goats, we also saw lemurs, monkeys, and giraffes.

Day 2: San Antonio Riverwalk

On this day, we did something a little different and took a Power Scooter Tour.

It was so fun riding on an electric scooter and checking out the sites in San Antonio. Our 6 year old had to ride on my husband’s scooter but the other kids ages 8, 11, and 14 did great on their own scooters. Nobody fell into the river so I count that as a success! Jose, our tour guide and co-owner of the company, was really kind and patient with us as we got used to the scooters. We went on the tour to The Japanese Tea Garden. It was about two hours round trip as we had a few stops along the way. The Japanese Tea Garden has an interesting story behind it but I won’t spoil it for you. It is an amazing oasis in the city of San Antonio. It was beautiful!

We were hungry after all that scootering so we went to Acenar, a restaurant on the Riverwalk, at around 12:30 p.m. We had reservations but they didn’t have any outdoor seating available so we ate indoors instead of getting an outdoor view of the river. If you want a river view, I would recommend getting to the restaurants earlier around opening time. I had the Chipotle Chicken.

After lunch, we got tickets and hopped on the 35 minute narrated Go Rio River Cruise. It was a relaxing ride and we also got a bit of history about the buildings and other surroundings.

We really wanted to go inside the Alamo, but due to the long line, my husband feeling bad due to a sinus infection, we just had a kind stranger take our picture in front of it instead.

Day 3: Enchanted Rock & Fredericksburg

We were going to head to Austin this morning, but decided to make a 2 hour detour to Enchanted Rock, just a little north of Fredericksburg, TX. I remember climbing Enchanted Rock when I was a teenager in Texas and thought it would be a great stop to stretch our legs and get some exercise. It is a giant, pink, granite rock/hill and it is a very steep climb. So much so, I counted it as my cardio for the day since my heart was pumping like crazy trying to hike up it. It was a short stop, but well worth it.

For lunch I found a German restaurant in the town of Fredericksburg, aptly named: The Old German Bakery and Restaurant. My kids ordered some of their German homemade pastries that they are known for. I didn’t fall into the temptation but I did have a small “mommy tax” bite from each one.

I had schnitzel for the first time! They claim to have the best in Texas. Schnitzel is hand-cut pork that is tenderized, hand breaded with homemade bread crumbs, and sautéed. It reminded me a lot of the American version: chicken fried steak. I got the House Schnitzel smothered with a creamy topping full of mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and cheese. It also came with some German-style potatoes. It was very tasty. It was such a large serving though, that I saved half of it for my dinner that night as well.

In addition to some shopping, there were some other attractions in this Hill Country area I wanted to check out: an alpaca ranch, a wildflower farm, and a peach orchard. But we had to move on towards the capitol city of Austin. On our drive through the heart of Texas, I always had my eye open for one of the quintessential symbols of Texas: The Texas Longhorn.

We checked into our nice Airbnb in Round Rock, TX. I’ve used Airbnb (click the link to save $$ on your next Airbnb) a handful of times now and really enjoy it. This last host was super nice and added little special touches like popcorn, mints, and hot chocolate to name a few. It inspired me to start thinking about hosting an Airbnb of our own in the future.

Day 4: Georgetown and Round Rock

So the first thing we did was drive around in my old home towns. Our Airbnb was just a few minutes away from my first home that I lived in until age 8. Things were a bit overgrown.

We also drove by my old elementary school that I attended. We drove to Georgetown where I lived from 8-16 yrs old and saw my old house, neighborhood, high school, and where I had my first job. We walked around downtown at the Georgetown Square.

I had many memories here of attending the Mayfair festival, visiting the Merle Norman store and getting free makeup samples, browsing the locally owned Gold’s Department store, or getting ice cream at the parlor on the corner. Sadly none of those establishments are around today but there are many new stores and restaurants to choose from. We got cupcakes from Galaxy Bakery & Coffeehouse owned by one of my friends who still lives in Georgetown. We saved their deliciousness for after our lunch.

“Owen, there are no cupcakes under there!”

They also displayed amazing scones that I wanted to sink my teeth in, but fortunately I was able to stop myself.

I think the kids loved Georgetown. Well, maybe just the cupcakes. For lunch as we headed back to our Round Rock Airbnb, we had to stop at one of my favorite pizza places back in the day: Mr. Gatti’s Pizza!! They now have a Gattiland where you can eat a pizza buffet and play video games, etc. I thought the pizza was still pretty good after all these years. Or maybe it is just the nostalgia talking.

Austin, Texas

On our first foray into Austin, we did an Austin Duck Adventures tour. It uses an amphibious vehicle that goes on land and water. It is definitely a good tour for kids unless they (or you) don’t like really loud (human) ducks!

We had a little tour of downtown Austin and then splashed into Lake Austin for a nice view.

Day 5: Austin, Texas continued…

Since we were staying in Round Rock, that meant we had to have Round Rock Donuts for breakfast in the morning. Yes, I know this trip was a walk down “food memory” lane so my eating plan went a bit off the rail temporarily.

What did Owen think about Round Rock Donuts?….

So on this day, we wanted to get the kids a chance to play a little more before we did any more touring/history stuff. We found a really cool Children’s Museum called, The Thinkery. Normally I don’t go to zoos or childrens’ museums on vacation because we have a ton of them where we live. But if your kids need a change of pace while visiting Austin, I’d recommend this place.

We had a yummy lunch at Terry Black’s BBQ in Austin.

The sausage was “Da Bomb”!!

Now that we had full bellies, it was time for more Texas history at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. 

We saw a short “multi-sensory” film there called “Shipwrecked” about La Salle’s 1684 North American colonial expedition. I highly recommend it.

Last but not least, on our final tour of the Hill Country, we did a bat viewing tour on Lone Star River Cruises. We got a tour of the beautiful Austin skyline. We also got a great view of the pregnant Mexican free-tailed bats that come out at sunset to feed on bugs for dinner.

One of the things I loved seeing again in Texas were the bluebonnets, the state flower.

Day 6: Fly out of Austin….or at least we tried.

We had a little unplanned event as we flew out of Austin, Texas. So we ended up driving home. You can read about it here in my Fit Travel Mom facebook post to find out what happened.

Have you visited central Texas Hill Country? What attractions did you like the most? Share in the comments below!

Check out my favorite things about Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside resort:

If you want to stay at a Moderate resort at Disney World, consider Port Orleans Riverside. It is one of the most popular and I recommend it to most of my clients. It is one of the prettiest settings when it comes to Moderate resorts. I love the Southern theme. The grounds are beautiful. You have Alligator Bayou (bayou) and Magnolia Bend (mansions).

Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside has the theming of a Deluxe Resort for the price of a Moderate Resort.

Port Orleans Riverside resort has the entertainment offerings of a Deluxe Resort for the price of a Moderate Resort. You can explore the grounds by foot or by renting surrey bikes, you can book a carriage ride, or go fishing. Port Orleans has several pools and can also use the amazing themed pool at it’s sister resort next door, French Quarter. There are campfires on certain nights of the week. Ask the front desk about the activities that are going on during your stay. Some are free and some may require an additional charge. 

You can also catch a ferry from the resort to Disney Springs.

The resort also has cute Princess/Royal themed rooms with light up LED Headboards. These rooms are a bit further away from the main hub. If you want to be closer to dining, I would request the Magnolia Terrace building.

Boatwright’s is the table service restaurant, however, there is also the River Roost Lounge (YeHaa Bob Jackson is a popular entertainer that sings and plays the piano there) and the Riverside Mill Food Court (below).

Have you ever stayed at Port Orleans Riverside? What did you think? Comment below if you have a different favorite moderate resort and state why. If you want to learn more about another Disney resort, check out my post about the Aulani Resort & Spa on Oahu in Hawaii.

To celebrate our 18th Wedding Anniversary, my husband, Donnie, and I went on a 5 night Western Caribbean Cruise on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. The ship was called “Independence of the Seas”. We visited the ports of Cozumel and & Costa Maya. We stayed in a Concierge Suite. There are many great perks when you stay in a suite. One of which is you get priority entrance. Woohoo! If it’s V.I.P., it’s for me!

You also get a reserved area out on the pool deck if you are in a concierge suite.

We were in the Sardinia Suite cabin #1320. It was huge! Here is a short video of our suite:

Being that it was my first time on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, I was pleased to see that it was a very nice ship.

Here is one of the pools…

Here is the adults only pool…

Even though we didn’t have kids with us on this trip, I checked out the very nice kids’ clubs…

In addition to the rock climbing wall, basketball court, mini golf course, they also had their signature “Flow Rider” surfing simulator. And no, I did not attempt it for fear of what the high speed water would do to my swim suit!

The ship had everything you would need such as a nice gym, a library, a chapel for weddings, and of course delicious restaurants like Chops Grill.

Since we were in a concierge suite, every night we would have fresh fruit, cheese, or a sweet treat waiting on us when we returned to the cabin.

I enjoyed watching the ice skating show. It was the first time I’ve seen one on a cruise ship. The skaters were very talented and entertaining.

Another perk of being in a suite, is that you get to have access to the Concierge Lounge where they serve snacks, finger foods, as well as cocktails, etc.

Our first port was Cozumel. The ferry ride over was very rocky that it actually made some people sick. Just a warning to bring medication for motion sickness. We got to snorkel in a cenote. A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath. It was like swimming in a cave with cool, clear water. It was beautiful. You also had the option to scuba dive and go deeper into the caves with a guide. I highly recommend the cenote excursion. I only had a disposable underwater camera but the pictures came out too dark but here is what a cenote looks like:

After we snorkeled, we went to eat at a restaurant on the beach (Playa del Carmen) called Inti Beach. The food was good and the view was amazing.

After lunch, we walked around and shopped a little bit. Then we headed back to the ferry and then the ship to wash up and eat dinner. We had a lovely view from our dinner table.

The port for the next day was Costa Maya. Our excursion was to the Mayan Ruins. We waited in the “village” area for our bus to take us to the site.

It was really neat to see the ruins and hear about the history of the Mayans.

We had a lunch buffet at a small beach resort and then headed back to the ship.

This was my first Royal Caribbean cruise. We really enjoyed how clean the ship was and the friendly service. We even booked our Alaska cruise for June 2018 while on board the ship to take advantage of the great prices and low deposit. Have you been on a Royal Caribbean cruise? What did you think about it? Comment below.

I LOVE to travel but I do not love the packing part. I always feel like I am forgetting something, and it makes me feel a little anxious. So I always make sure I have at least my:

• Wallet (credit card, cash, license)
• Passport
• Cell Phone
• Extra pair of contacts and my eyeglasses (I’m blind-as-a-bat without them)

These items are always packed in my carry-on luggage so they don’t get lost. I pretty much just bring carry-on luggage every time I travel. I don’t like to hassle with lines at the baggage check and waiting for it again at baggage claim. But that’s a whole other blog post….

As long as I have those 4 to 5 items, I know I can pretty much buy anything else I forget. If I am following my checklist correctly, I definitely make sure I have my top favorite travel items with me including:

1.  Antibacterial Sanitizer and Wipes

With my background as a Registered Nurse, I have become very “germ conscious” (A.K.A. Germaphobe). I wash my hands with soap and water all the time, especially after being in public places.  

Sanitizer and wipes are a blessing for those who are “germ conscious” and can’t get to a sink. For this reason, I carry a bottle of hand sanitizer and a travel pack of antibacterial wipes. I use them before I eat or to wipe down the headrest, armrests, seatbelts, tray table, etc. on the airplane.

Did you know that the tray tables on airplanes can be dirtier than your toilet seat at home?

According to an article written in Conde Nast Traveler called “The Dirtiest Place in Airports Is Nowhere Near the Bathroom”: 

“…an average of only 172 CFU are found on household toilet seats. Tray tables follow with 11,595 CFU/sq. in., then seatbelt buckles with 1,116 CFU/sq. in. According to a 2017 report by Thrillist, the FAA does not regulate how often—or how thoroughly—airlines have to sanitize their planes. So it’s up to the carriers to decide for themselves, and they tend to err on the side of saving time and money, rather than making planes sparkle for passengers. Cleaning crews will typically only remove trash and wipe down lavatories between flights, meaning your tray table and armrests are left with whatever germs the previous passenger left behind…”

2.  Cell Phone Back Up Battery

This might be an obvious one, but I have to have one for my phone. I take a ton of video and pictures with my iPhone 8 so after a long day of touring and travel, my phone battery almost always dies before the day is through. I am still trying out different battery chargers but I’ve used this one before. Comment below if you have a travel battery charger you love.

3.  Earplugs

They may be small but oh, what a difference they can make when trying to get a good night’s sleep in a noisy hotel. You know those hotels that have like an inch gap on the bottom of the door that leads out into the hallway where you can hear EVERYTHIN?. Seriously, who made that design? Or the paper thin walls where you can hear what the person is watching on t.v. next door? Or those nice, thoughtful, neighbors in the rental next to you who decide to laugh and play in their pool at 2 o’clock in the morning after arriving from a different time zone, acting as if they are the only ones in the neighborhood. Yes, that is when those tiny squishy blue things can make a difference. Don’t leave home without them and bring extra for your husband and kids.

4.  Makeup Organizer/Train Case

This is great for women (and men’s toiletries) because of how it zips open. I have a million cute makeup bags I have gotten for free with purchases but I don’t use them because it is hard to find things in it when it just zips up at the top. I end up having to take everything out to find the eyeliner I’m looking for. I love these types of cases because you just unzip and everything is there and organized. There is even a place to hold all of the makeup brushes. I never have to take anything out to find something. It is all out right there for me to see.

5.  Cell Phone Credit Card Holder

This is really convenient to have when you go through security at the airport. I’m always fumbling around with my boarding pass, phone, and license. I like that I can have my boarding pass downloaded onto my phone now and then I can just carry my license in the holder on the back of my phone. No more fumbling around or misplacing my license and boarding pass.

6.  AirborneBack to the germ talk. I can’t imagine what might be circulating in the air on those planes. I always try to bump up my immunity the day before, the day of and pretty much every day of my trip until I return home. I will dissolve a tablet in my water in the morning. It actually tastes pretty good. Knock on wood, it has done the trick so far. I haven’t gotten sick while traveling since I started using it.

7.  Portable/Flexible Water Bottle

It’s good to drink a lot of water while you travel so you don’t get dehydrated. I really like this foldable Vapur Element Bottle  because you can just roll it up and stuff it in your bag, and it doesn’t take up much space. It is dish washer safe. It has a nice flip top lid and a carabiner to hook it onto your bag or belt loop. 

8.  Blocktech Coat from Uniqlo

When I went to NYC in February, it was quite rainy. I needed to get a long, hooded, durable, water-repellent, waterproof, and windproof jacket or coat that was comfortable, stretchy, and breathable. I found all of this in Uniqlo’s Blocktech Coat. It helped to block the wind and repel the rain. It worked fabulously and it looked great as well. It was my first time in the Uniqlo store (on 5th Avenue) and I fell in love. Nice, well made clothes for great prices. Uniqlo also gives back to charity. Plus, they even had a Starbucks inside the store! What’s not to love??

So those are just a few of my favorite travel items. What are your favorite travel items and why? Share in the comments below.