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
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
The Itinerary There are multiple versions of the 4-parks-in-one-day challenge; some people choose to try to ride the most popular attraction at each park; others put more emphasis on photo ops and snacks. My goal in May of 2023 was to use the App and Disney Genie+ to focus on my favorite rides… Continue reading Walt Disney World 2023- Four Parks in One Day Challenge
Cruising to Bermuda We sailed to Bermuda from NYC on the Disney Magic, docking at 10am and boarding to leave at 4pm the following day. Much of our planning revolved around considerations for weather and the fact that we arrived on a Sunday. Bermuda was sunny with a high in the mid-80s during our first… Continue reading 24 hours in Bermuda
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
Atrium Lobby on the Disney Dream, June 2022 Inside the Disney Dream Our port arrival window at Miami Cruise Terminal was 11:15am, and within an hour we had boarded the ship through the Atrium Lobby. We were required to check in on deck four and watch a video about emergency procedures. A few locations were… Continue reading The Disney Dream, June 2022
2020 & 2021 Ocracoke Island is at the southern tip of the Outer Banks of North Carolina and can only accessed by ferry. Ocracoke Island became our home away from home in 2020 & 2021. Our goal was to find a vacation destination that provided opportunities to be mostly outdoors and stay in somewhat private… Continue reading Okracoke Island, OBX, North Carolina
Rockefeller CenterWashington Square ParkBryant ParkGrand Central TerminalSt. Patrick's CathedralLittle Italy Rockefeller Center, NYC 2022 Rockefeller Center Our hotel, the Hilton Club West was beyond perfect for our purpose of exploring the top tourist sites in midtown Manhattan. On the corner of 57th street and Sixth Ave. we were equal walking distance to Central Park and… Continue reading Manhattan, NYC, Spring Break 2022
Our 2-week winter holiday started in the Colorado Rockies and ended in sunny San Diego. Learn more about each destination by clicking on the links in the timeline. The Amtrak California Zephyr took us from Denver to San Francisco. A series of road trips allowed us to see the California Coast and to Joshua Tree… Continue reading Winter Vacation 2021- Denver & Reno on The Amtrak Zephyr & The California Coast
There are benefits to visiting OBX in any season, but when choosing between busy touristy beaches and the much quieter towns from Corolla to Manteo, we have often opted for OBX. In 2017 we chose a long weekend for our OBX Spring Break and in 2021 we opted for an entire week during the public… Continue reading 5 Reasons We Chose OBX for a Beach Spring Break Vacation
It can be hard to get to Vieques, but so very worth the trouble. We knew that the journey might be difficult in advance, and expected delays and stress at the ferry terminal at Ceiba. (We could have opted for a flight from San Juan, or a puddle jumper from Ceiba, but we chose the much… Continue reading Vieques, Puerto Rico, July 2021
The National Mall is home to three science museums, including The National Air and Space Museum and the Museum of Natural History, two of the most iconic Smithsonian Institutions. At the East end of the Mall, next to the Capitol, is the United States Botanic Garden. From the Smithsonian Metro station, you can easily get… Continue reading Washington DC Science Museums
We have come to know and love the Casco Bay area of Maine over the last eight years. Alex's family lives in Harpswell, an hour's drive (or ferry ride) from Portland. Over a series of Maine posts, I'll put together an itinerary that starts in Portland and takes you up the coast to Acadia National… Continue reading Portland to Harpswell, Maine
The year was 2000. The internet had just progressed from dial-up to broadband. Cell phones weren’t widespread. My rural Ohio alma mater, Muskingum College, still had a card catalogue in the library. So, it was at the beginning of the digital age that twenty Muskies booked a spring break trip to Cancun with estudenttravel.com. We… Continue reading Cancun, Mexico, Spring Break 2000
