Wizarding World of Harry Potter

For Christmas this year, we decided to give the kids a trip to Universal Studios! They are both HUGE Harry Potter fans and we were all anxious to see what the "buzz" was about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We were not disapointed! I guess I should first give a disclaimer that if you are going to Universal expecting Disney, you won't find it there. Universal, while not as big or extravagant, is very fun and offers something different from Disney. We stayed at the Lowes Royal Pacific resort. This is an on-site property at Universal. We loved the resort. The staff was very friendly and helpful. My kids loved that everywhere they went people said, "Aloha". The pool was fantastic and heated(major pluss when going in the winter). There were several restaurants onsite and we are big fans of Emril's. The biggest selling point is that by staying onsite you have early access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We had an entire hour before regular park guests were allowed. Also, there is an Express Lane to every ride, but two, where we were able to walk right on and not wait. This is different from Disney where you have to get a Fast Pass. This is a seperate line. We LOVED this benefit and would not do it any other way!

There are 2 parks at Universal; Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Islands of Adventure hosts the Wizarding World of Happry Potter. You walk in to find yourseld standing in Hogsmeade, complete with snowcapped houses. We loved Olivander's wand shop and the presentation from Olivander himself to match a child fromt he audience with the perfect wand. We drank butterbear every day and ate at Three Broomsticks. The main attraction, The Forbidden Journey is an exciting ride that is not for anyone prone to motion sickness! The best part was the line to wait for the ride wound through Hogwarts Castle, with stops at Dumbledore's office and the Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom. Other higlights at Universal included the Jurrasic park area, Men In Black and the 8th Voyage of Sinbad Stunt Show. I think Universal is definately worth a visit. For those going to Disney, it would be a great one day visit to see Harry Potter. It was a perfect long weekend get-a-way in the winter to be somewhere the kids could run around, swim and be outside!

Bar Harbor, Maine

I am embarrassed at the time lapse between posts. I often get so caught up in life and traveling that I forget to write! This summer, I took a second trip to Bar Harbor Maine in the past two years. While this trip was specifically for a wedding, my husband and I were able to take advantage of several adventures with friends. This was an adults only trip, but Bar Harbo has SO much to offer the whole family. We stayed at the Harborside, which is right in the middle of Bar Harbor. We had gorgeous views of the water and it truly is a lvoely resort. Since Maine was unseasonably warm while we were there, we were able to take advantage of cockatils poolside several days as well! Our first day, we did a 3 hours bike tour in Acadia National Park. It was a great way to see the park's carriage roads and take advantage of that fabulous Maine air! While I wouldn't suggest this tour for small children, those of you with older children would have a blast together! See www.acadiabike.com
Day 2 provided a wonder ful hike for my husband and friends. Just touch base with the welcome center to get a map. You will be rewarded with some amazing views! That evening we took a sunset cruise of the Harbor on the Margaret Todd. This is a beautiful schooner and your can even test your muscles by helping lift the sails! We had a lovely cruise, very romantic and peaceful. A couple of restaurants to note- breakfast at Cafe this Way or Jeannies are great and lunch or dinner at The Parkside or Stewmans for lobster!
Lastly, while we didn't get to go this time, a trip to Bar Harbor is not complete without going to see Diver Ed! This is the higlight of any trip. www.divered.com
Bar Harbor can bit a bit difficult to get to, but worth every minute.

Baby Friendly Cruises

I was just reading an article today about the top 5 "baby friendly" cruise lines. You can find the article at:
http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-advice/top-five-baby-friendly-cruise-lines.html?id=3740134

The top five listed were:
Carnival
Disney ( No surprise)
Cunard
NCL
Royal Caribbean

There are a lot of things to consider when taking little ones on a cruise!

Southern California

I just returned last night from a long weekend in Southern California with my kids, my sister-in-law and my neice. We had a fabulous time. October is a wonderful time to vacation in CA, the weather was fabulous; blue skies, sun, not too hot. We flew out for Fall Break, leaving Wed. night. We had two full days at Disneyland and one day at Legoland. After being in DisneyWorld last year for Fall break, I wondered how the CA counterpart would compare. I was pleasantly surprised. While Disneyland is smaller in size, for a long weekend vacation, it was perfect. We were able to do some of our "favorites" from DisneyWorld, like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Peter Pan's Flight. Additionally, we were able to experience some great new attractions like the Indiana Jones ride and California Screamin' roller coaster. We also loved seeing all of the Halloween decorations and costumes. The drive down to Carlsbad for Legoland was definately worth it and was my 7 year old son's favorite part of the trip. The Miniland USA is truly remarkable and I can't say that I have ever seen a full size SUV made out of Legos! We were able to have a quick morning at the beach before we left and I wish we would have had a full day. It was so fun to see the kids relaxing, splashing in the waves watching the surfers. The Orange County airport was SO easy to get in and out of a refreshing change from LAX. All in all, a fabulous get-a-way and something to put on your list!

El Salvador

I have been meaning to write this post for quite some time, but have not had a moment to sit and quietly reflect on my first trip to El Salvador. More to come....

Traveling with my daughter

I recently took my first "girls trip" with my 8 year old daughter. What a great idea! We went to Seattle to visit two friends of mine from college that my daughter has met, but does not know well. One of my favorite parts of the trip was watching these old friends of mine develop a wonderful relationship with my daughter. What a gift for her to get to know such amazing women. She now has two new role models in her life! That was the icing on the cake of the trip. As if Seattle itself was not enough!

Seattle is a fabulous place to take the family. It is a beautiful city; safe, clean, with a TON to do for everyone. To satisfy my love for the great outdoors, we went boating on Lake Washington, took a hike at Snowqualmie Falls, went whale watching around the San Juan Islands and walked various other lakes in the area. My daughter also loves the hustle and bustle of the city. We had lunch at Pike Place Market, explored the Seattle Center including the Science Ficton Museum. Hands down, the Experience Music Project was my daughter's favorite. This museum is very "hands on". You can access your inner rock star by playing guitar, keyboard, drums, even recording your own CD or music video. There are also very cool exhibits on guitars and rock legend Jimi Hendrix. I have been to Seattle before and every time I experience something new. I can't wait to go back and see the Rain Forests and hike Mt. Ranier. Put this on your list of top 5 cities in the US to visit!

The time between my daughter and I was priceless. This is when a "trip" becomes SO much more than just a vacation.

Turks & Caicos

I just returned from a site inspection at the Beaches Resort in Turks & Caicos. It was a fabulous resort! Turks & Caicos is a beautiful island; crystal blue waters and gorgeous beaches. The people were so giving and accomodating. They have a new Italian Village with some of the best accomodations for families, especially those families of 5 or more. They also have a to-die-for water park that would entertain kids all day! I would absolutely go back any time!