Joshua Tree NP California Winter, 2024 Cottonwood SpringsSplit RockKeys ViewQuail Springs Joshua Tree National Park is located in central Southern California and straddles both the Mojave Desert to the northwest and the Colorado Desert to the Southeast. During our first visit in 2021 we entered from the town of Joshua Tree to the north at… Continue reading Joshua Tree National Park, 2024
Universal orlandoresortaugust 2023 To do everything in our itinerary at Universal Studios park (especially during August) three things were essential.....We Stayed at a Universal ResortThis was our first family trip to Universal Orlando Resorts since May of 2021. To maximize our short time, we spent three nights total on Universal property, two at Universal's Aventura… Continue reading How We Did All the Things In 8 Hours at Universal Studios Orlando
Islands of adventureSummer 2023 August 2023 HogsmeadeIslands for FamiliesAdvanced AdventureFaraway Lands This was our first family trip to Universal Orlando since May of 2021. To maximize our short time, we spent three nights total on Universal property, two at Universal's Aventura Hotel and one at Loews Royal Pacific Resort. By changing to a Premier resort… Continue reading Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure
Lowes Royal Pacific A premier resort UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA During our stays in 2019 and 2023, Loews Royal Pacific was in the Premier category of Universal Orlando Resorts. There were three resorts in this tier, and the biggest benefit (aside from being walking distance to CityWalk and all three Universal Orlando Parks) is that each… Continue reading Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios Florida
UNIVERASAL STUDIOS FLORIDA Aventura hotel august 2023 Universal's Aventura Hotel, Orlando, Florida, 2023 As one of the newest hotels on the property, the resort and rooms integrate technology into the stay. The proximity to Sapphire Falls and Cabana Bay Resort is also a plus, especially because Universal Orlando allows you to pool hop as long… Continue reading Universal’s Aventura Hotel
Disney Wonder Day 4: Skagway June 2023 Exploring TownWhite Pass RailwayLiarsville Gold Rush Camp gateway to the gold rush There were multiple options for excursions in Skagway from the Disney Wonder. With a long day in port (6:45am-8:00pm), passengers were able to get out into the wilderness on a hiking trip, see sled dogs, whale/wildlife… Continue reading Port of Call: Skagway, Alaska
day 1: Botanical gardens & granville island June 2023 botanical gardensgranville islandGastown Gardens of Vancouver VanDusen Botanical Garden VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, Canada, June 2023 The draw for us to visit VanDusen Botanical Garden was to see a collection unique to the Pacific Northwest and other temperate rainforests. We also enjoyed seeing how the climate… Continue reading Disney Wonder Departure Port: Vancouver, Canada, Day 1
day 2: seawall & stanley park June 2023 seawallstanley parkvancouver aquariumdowntown Visiting Stanley Park could easily have been a full day affair if we weren’t jet lagged. We walked one mile from the Hilton Vancouver Downtown along the Harbor front, pausing often to look into the water for starfish and other aquatic creatures. We also… Continue reading Disney Wonder Departure Port: Vancouver, Canada Day 2
Wizarding World of Harry Potter2023 August 2023 Hogsmeadediagon alleydiningattractions This was our first family trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando since May of 2021. To maximize our short time, we spent three nights total on Universal property, two at Universal's Aventura Hotel and one at Lowes Royal Pacific. By changing… Continue reading Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Disney Wonder 2023Day 6: Ketchikan June 2023 Exploring TownSaxman Village tourlumberjack show Fishing town Ketchikan, our final port on the 7-day Disney Wonder Alaskan cruise, was smaller than Juneau but larger than Skagway (our first port further north).Our excursions didn’t start until 1pm, so in the morning Alex and I were able to spend some… Continue reading Port of Call: Ketchikan, Alaska
Disney Wonder 2023Day 5: juneau June 2023 Exploring TownRainforestglacier alaska state capital Mendenhall Glacier & Nugget Falls, Juneau, Disney Wonder Alaskan Cruise, June 2023 Fun Fact: there are no roads to Alaska’s State Capital, Juneau. Residents and visitors can only get there by boat or plane. There were a ton of excursion options, and we… Continue reading Port of Call: Juneau, Alaska
The Disney wonder June 2023 State roomspools & spaDining & loungesactivitiesphoto package In June of 2023 we set sail for a 7-day cruise to Alaska on the Disney Wonder. This blog entry primarily focuses on our time onboard the ship. To learn more about our daily itinerary and ports of call, check out the Disney… Continue reading On Board the Disney Wonder, 2023
Disney WonderAlaska Cruise June 2023 Vancouver, BCOnBoard The WONDERSkagway, AKJuneAU, AKKetchikan, ak Day 1: Departure from Vancouver, BC Departure from Vancouver, Canada on the Disney Wonder Cruise to Alaska, June 2023 We stayed at the Hilton Vancouver Downtown for three nights before the cruise. The port was within walking distance, but with bags we decided… Continue reading
Edge NYC, New York City, 2023 Over two trips to NYC in 2022 and 2023, we have seen the city from the three major mid-town Manhattan observation towers.In 2023 we used the New York Pass by Go City. For a high upfront fee, we were able to visit all of the observation attractions. Although the… Continue reading Midtown NYC Observatories- 3 Views from the Top
When we travel to Walt Disney World, we often choose a moderate resort for the portion of the trip that we plan to spend most of our time in the parks, and hop to a deluxe resort for some more relaxing down time. In general, Deluxe Resorts have the benefits of interior room entry, private… Continue reading Where Should We Stay? Breaking Down the Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts
