If you’ve ever travelled at Christmas then you have also undoubtedly travelled with Christmas gifts too. I mean Christmas and presents go hand in hand no matter where in the world you are celebrating or spending it. So, how exactly is the best way to do that? Do you wrap them and bring them with you through an airport? Um, probably not the best idea. What about if you are simply driving all the way to a relative’s house? How do you make that work with gifts? Wrap them first or No? Here’s what works for us. Here are tips…
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Seated at a work bench, my teenage daughter spins a bead of glass over an open flame. We are at Hands On Glass Studio, a small, friendly, glassmaking studio in Corning New York and she’s working with flame crafting something with her own two hands. Pretty much a perfect activity for a teen. Glass blowing, bead making, shopping and dining too! There’s a lot to do in Corning New York. Recently we visited Finger Lakes and explored the area for 24 hours as we worked our way through upstate New York. Here’s what we found and did while there. What…
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So many moving parts involved in planning a trip. Park Sleep Fly options can simplify your vacation, no matter who you are traveling with and it’s often an affordable option. This is a sponsored post which means I received compensation. Imagine planning a trip with multiple family members. Not only do you have to choose where to go and comparison shop for best prices and activities, but you need to book the flights, juggle the passports and snacks and negotiate all of the busy airport details. Then you drive to the airport hoping and planning for potential heavy traffic and…
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Like the town it’s named for, The Cody Hotel is pure Wyoming. Cody is often called one of the last few western towns, and I could easily see why when I stayed there on the first night of my tour with Austin Adventures. The town itself may have grown and modernized itself over the years, but you’d never know it driving through downtown. When it comes to accommodations in Wyoming close to Yellowstone National Park, The Cody Hotel, ticks all the boxes. With great views of the surrounding countryside, comfortable accommodations, superb service and a distinctly wild west vibe, The…
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With its panoramic, breathtaking mountains and wide open spaces, it’s easy to see why Montana is referred to as Big Sky Country. From vast mountain tops in Glacier National Park to the badlands, Beartooth Highway and Yellowstone National Park, Montana has numerous one of a kind iconic drives and vistas, each memorable in its own right. I travelled with Austin Adventures on a hosted media trip in Montana and Wyoming this Fall. Big Sky Country Nearly 13 million tourists annually visit Montana’s Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Beartooth Highway, Flathead Lake, Big Sky Resort and other attractions. There’s no place…
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This fall I was on a group travel experience and media trip with Austin Adventures which means I received travel, accommodations, food and excursions in exchange for potential coverage. This story is based on that experience. “Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.” We are sharing a picnic lunch on the outdoor patio at Old Faithful Inn waiting, listening. There’s a clock inside on the main floor that projects an estimated time that Old Faithful will erupt. It is nothing if not faithful, just as it says right in the name. Old Faithful The crowd murmurs and holds…
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The drive from Rochester New York through to Watkins Glen is unforgettable. Curving rural roads stretch out for miles and then suddenly the landscape switches carving down towards one finger-shaped lake after another. Wineries crop up on both sides of the road and the sloping rows of vines command attention. Welcome to Watkins Glen Watkins Glen, a small village that’s part of Finger Lakes New York wine region is a geological marvel. Oddly, I had no idea it was so spectacular and so close to home. We were guests while in Watkins Glen which means we received accommodations, meals and…
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“Play is the highest form of research,” – Albert Einstein It had been years since I last set foot in Rochester New York. There was a time Rochester was a destination Canadians visited for the weekend, when they wanted to shop and save money. Shopping bags loaded with clothing, shoes, and the occasional bottle of rum or whiskey, we’d return satisfied and armed with Christmas presents for everyone, but not before that final stop at the Duty Free store. This is how I remember Rochester, New York. We were guests of Visit Rochester while in the city which means we…
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Need to travel over the holidays? Need the flight before Christmas? Oh sure we all want to travel during the holiday season and go somewhere warm, or even some place familiar filled with family and friends. But do you need to travel during the holidays? If so, then you need some ground rules and also some guidelines and tips on how to go and when to book the flight before Christmas. There are lots of benefits to holiday air travel and a few big drawbacks too. But, if you want to know the ins and outs and the ways to…
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Ten years goes by in a blink. I started this blog Thrifty Mommas Tips ten years ago this past summer! My ten-year blogging anniversary happened quietly on May 26th. I wanted to have this up sooner, but then my crazy summer of travel happened and I didn’t have time to finish it until now. So, forgive me if this is a little late. Where has a decade gone? Well, my girls have grown up into beautiful teenagers. Sure, they argue a lot some days and frankly parenting teens is so much harder than I ever imagined…but they’ve changed so much.…