travel bloggers Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Top Florida Hotspots Chosen by Canadian Travel Bloggers

Paula — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 14:08:29 +0000

This week I am in Florida again. Just passing through on our way to a cruise. But I am always thrilled to visit Florida, even when it’s a short stay, or a conference. Florida is a dependable travel destination. And there’s always something new and exciting to discover. This year, I thought I’d ask several of my favourite Canadian travel bloggers what their picks are for Top Florida Hotspots in 2018. As a tourist destination, despite the ups and downs of the Canadian dollar, and the political climate, Florida is still a tourist mecca with much to offer. It’s still very popular with Canadians, who are the biggest international market for this state. Oh, we all know the pull of Orlando area amusement parks. But there’s so more to Florida than Mickey Mouse. Here’s what several Canadian travel bloggers have to say and why they chose each of these Florida hotspots. Top Travel Bloggers Favourite Florida Hotspots: Mary Chong of Calculated Traveller: On The Pull of Miami When asked what my favourite destination is in Florida I have to say Miami. There are a million things to do in this vibrant city. You can find culture and community in Little Havana, outdoor art in Wynwood, nightlife and art deco architecture in South Beach, and history at the Wolfonsian and Villa Vizcaya Museum. Miami is also the gateway to the Florida Keys — offering opportunities for all kinds of adventures! We travel to Miami and Florida a few times each year, usually to hop on a cruise ship to the Caribbean. If we aren’t cruising, and are planning on spending time in the city, we always make a trip to spectacular Miami beach to play in the sand and watch the ships sail out into the sunset. 11 Things to do in Miami Florida https://www.calculatedtraveller.com/blog/11-things-to-do-in-miami-florida/ Paula Schuck of Thrifty Mommas Tips Don’t Discount Daytona Beach So much more than a spring break party destination, Daytona Beach is one of my favourite Florida Hotspots and Travel Destinations because of how much there is to do. And the accessibility here is excellent. That makes it a good choice for people of all ages and abilities. The oceanfront beach strip is accessible on foot or by car in many areas. And accessible also by wheelchair in most spots. In fact, this is one thing that jumped out at me almost everywhere we went in Daytona Beach. The accessible signage was clear in many places. That matters to me. It matters to seniors too and sandwich generation parents caring for their Moms and Dads who need help travelling sometimes. If you start the day relaxing on the beach and the weather is gorgeous you might never want to leave. But there’s a lot to see so try to pace yourself. Tammy Mitchell of In R Dream: Magic of Melbourne The one Florida destination that feels like home to our family is Melbourne Beach. The untouched beaches, serenity, tropical feeling you feel when you’re watching your children jump the waves with a boogie board or dig deep into the sand is exactly what I crave when we road trip to Florida from Canada. It’s a quiet beach and not overly crowded like some of the neighboring beaches. Right in front of Crowne Plaza Melbourne-Oceanfront is where our family has made many memories and will continue to enjoy this beach for many more years to come. Melbourne is very close to many tourist attractions such as Ron Jon’s, Kennedy Space Center and a short drive to Disney World but far enough away you don’t need to feel like a tourist 100% of the time. – Tammy http://inrdream.com/ Kerrie Mendoza of Family Food and Travel Kid Friendly Cape Coral/Fort Myers Every year we head to Cape Coral/Ft Myers for a family vacation. We love travelling to the area for its beautiful beaches. Warm Gulf air and lots of great kid friendly restaurants and attractions. With day trips to Sannibel Island, Ft Myers Beach, Naples or Captiva Island you have some of the best beaches around combined with great shopping too! We recommend visiting The Shell Factory, Sky Zone and have enjoyed searching for seashells and a dolphin cruise. Don’t forget to get a meal at Rum Runners at Cape Harbour and Pinchers Crab Shack. Read more here – > https://familyfoodandtravel.com/2015/03/pinchers-crab-shack-cape-coral-florida.html Sandi Allen – Canadian Blog House Feel The Embrace of St. Pete Beach/Clearwater St. Pete Beach/Clearwater is a destination that will welcome you with open arms and never let you go. And that’s okay – you won’t want to leave! With an average of 361 days of sunshine per year, white sand beaches, endless shells for beachcombing, world-class shopping and attractions, fabulous resorts, fun water activities, pristine state parks, and a huge variety of tantalizing restaurant options, St. Pete Beach/Clearwater offers an incredible vacation experience for the whole family. “Feel It” once…and you’ll want to feel it again! https://canadianbloghouse.com/category/florida/ Ann Baccaglia of Kickass Living A Slice of Paradise in Key West A couple years ago I visited Key West and it was a dream come true. Key West is a slice of paradise and I can see why so many people vacation there each year. The food is delicious, and the sunsets are legendary. There is a reason why thousands of people flock to attend the nightly sunset ceremony at Mallory Square. The atmosphere in Key West is friendly and relaxed. Many people ride bicycles or scooters to get around the small town. No one is in a hurry.There are also plenty of stray cats and chickens wandering around. TIp – rent a convertible for the drive from the mainland through the Keys. You will not regret driving along the legendary Seven Mile bridge with the roof down. http://www.kickass-living.com/ http://www.kickass-living.com/10-places-i-want-to-visit-in-the-florida-keys/ Christy Laverty – A Little Brightspot Siesta Key – Best Beach In Florida When it comes to best place to visit in Florida I would have to put Siesta Key top of the list. We visit Siesta Key a few times a year. It is about an hour from Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico. The area is home to a beautiful white sand beach. In recent years, Siesta Key Beach was named number on beach in United States. And it deserves the honour! Definitely a must stop destination in Florida! There are great resorts in the area and there is a great variety of restaurants, especially down in Siesta Key Village, which is in walking distance to many of the area resorts and hotels. Christy A Laverty www.ALittleBrightSpot.com http://alittlebrightspot.com/2017/06/24/number-one-beach/ And Last BUT definitely NOT Least EVER Margarita Ibbott of DownshiftingPro A Nod to the Gilded Age in St Augustine The beauty of travel is that you not only go to a new place, you can go back in time. To be able to visit a Colonial city like St. Augustine was thrilling. I love culture and history and the story that a place holds in time. The way a building is morphs from one use to another without losing the essence of the place. That was what it was like to go to the iconic Lightner Museum and Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. The Lightner Museum was once a glorious (and very luxurious) seasonal retreat. The Hotel Alcazar was a playground for wealthy north-easterners. Across the street, in what is now Flagler College, was the competing Hotel Ponce de Leon. These two buildings have found new life and continue to grace the Old City with a rich heritage which charmed me. The architecture is stunning and a nod to the gilded age. I did not see enough of Florida’s Historic coast but I know I will return without a doubt. Read more on DownshiftingPro There are so many beautiful beaches throughout this sunny state, you could spend a lifetime of Canadian winters visiting each one. And you’d still want to return. Many thanks to all the travel writers who contributed a paragraph or two about their favourite Florida hotspots. What are your favourite Florida hotspots and when was the last time you visited?

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London Ontario Lifestyle Bloggers – Local Influencers

Paula — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 12:31:52 +0000

London Ontario Lifestyle Bloggers are actually quite a force of nature. In fact I have seen so many over the years since I began writing on line. As some of you know Thrifty Mommas Tips began in 2009. It was a way to get back into writing after a lengthy absence from my job as a journalist at the London Free Press. Happy to say I am still here and loving what I do. I attended an event in Arva last night and met a new blogger and we got talking. She asked are there many London Ontario Lifestyle bloggers? Well, in fact, yes there are I said. Local London crafty lady Cyn Gagen was also at the Metro Homegrown event held at the historic Arva Flour Mill. The funny thing about London and area bloggers to me is that we end up being invited all over North America and sometimes the globe. But rarely are there local events. So Metro’s event was pretty cool in that regard. So hallelujah I was pretty thrilled when a local event with national scope hosted by Metro Ontario invited London bloggers. Anyways that post is for next week but right now these are my favourites of all the London Ontario Bloggers I know. Obviously I am a London Ontario Blogger at Thrifty Mommas Tips – You can find me here every single day of the week. I write about Travel, Health, Food and Technology. So Lifestyle essentially. You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter as @inkscrblr. Oh and don’t forget to check out my Business Blog. I run a social media consulting and management business called Thrifty Mom Media. Cyn Gagen is over at Creative Cynchronicity CYN writes and posts and shares with her daughter, Samantha @GagenGirls. Check out this post – > 15 Sweet Treats for Canada Day. She’s the lady you need to visit for creative content and crafty ideas for any event or occasion. I can’t keep up with how creative she is. Margarita Ibbott – DownshiftingPro Your Family, Your Home Your Life My good friend Margarita has strong travel content and here’s what you should know – Margarita is a professional home organizer and she is the authority on all organizing topics. She’s the one I talk to and sometimes travel with as well. She taught me this – How To Pack Lightly. This is one of her most recent posts – 150 Links for Canada Day. AND I AM still trying to work on that as a travel blogger. LOL. We also run Linked Moms together. Linked Moms is a local social media consulting and Twitter Party business. Ann Marie Brown – It’s Just My Life She’s definitely more of a Youtuber now but when I met her she was a blogger primarily. Either way you can find great content about budgeting and cooking on her site – It’s Just My Life. Love this lady. She is funny and smart and has a heart of gold. She and I connected many years ago even before we really knew we blogged because she is also an adoptive parent. Catch her on Facebook too. Pam Young – Country Mouse, City Mouse – Pam lives in St Mary’s area just outside London. This lady writes about many different topics and also works with several brands. Also a Mom raising some amazing kids. She’s here on Twitter @CCMouse. Kelly Connor is CityMOM She tends to have a lot of local homes content along with some parenting content too. Check her out also on Twitter @_CityMOM Stephanie Holmes – Sassy Modern Mom as we know her here. Stephanie is a lovely London Mom of two teen girls, who writes a lot of travel content. She was also one of the first London area lifestyle bloggers. She is well connected and has a fun blog with great giveaways too. Her Blog is How To Survive Life in The Suburbs. SHERI McDonald – KIDSUMERS Kidsumers is one that has been live for a long time too. Sheri McDonald is the owner, blogger on this site which has grown wildly since we met years ago. Now she also has a Family Travel site too. St. Mary’s area blogger and Mom of four. She is an honorary member of the London Ontario Lifestyle Bloggers. Shannon Moyer-Szemenyei Sweet Stellas is one that has undergone some changes. When I first started reading Shannon’s story her blog was crafty and also a bit of a personal journal. Now Shannon is a bit of a chameleon and she is very committed to growth and learning. She is a local DOULA who makes me wish that I could have a baby just to use her services. Warning you now she has some incredible resources and stories about becoming a parent, infertility and post part depression too. I love her authenticity. She is a KICKBUTT female and one of my favourite London Ontario Lifestyle Bloggers. Tabitha Pye – Not Quite a Handful Tabitha is a London lifestyle blogger and mother of four. She writes at Not Quite a Handful. She writes a lot of movie reviews right now. Suzanne Toth – Mostly a Mother Mostly a Mother is a new blogger to me. We met just this week and apparently she lives extremely close to me. But I love her Instagram feed. Her style and fashion and parenting blog is lovely. Check it out. Mostly A Mother. I think we will see a lot more of this lady. She has three young children and has a lot of baby information and styles and natural products (she just started a new business selling coconut oil based products like moisturizer.) I am sure there are a few others that are around but I have not met them. Do you know any local London, Ontario Canada bloggers that should be added to this list?

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The Turtle Nesting Walk in Hobe Sound, Florida

Paula — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 14:16:57 +0000

It’s a sunny, humid, June morning. I kickstart my day by exploring Martin County, Florida on my own, at least until an afternoon rainy spell erupts. The highlight of my itinerary today is a turtle nesting walk in Hobe Sound. My ride, Nerissa, from the Martin County Tourism office, picks me up for dinner. I’ve been looking forward to this Turtle Nesting Walk from the moment I landed at Palm Beach International Airport. Hobe Sound, Martin County Florida Turtle Nesting Walk We take a leisurely drive through Jupiter Island, an extremely wealthy area of Martin County where celebrities, an ex-president’s family members, and athletes are known to have palatial homes that are well monitored and hidden behind high walls. It is an immaculate area, manicured and well maintained. We spy a cyclist or two getting some exercise. I can’t help but laugh over a couple of signs at the ends of driveways declaring these otherworldly retreats comical names that don’t match what’s hidden behind the trees and fences. My Shack. Beach Getaway. Summer cottage type names for houses that are mansions. Lining one of these meandering roads on Jupiter Island are Banyan trees that arch over to greet each other in the middle forming a picturesque canopy with a southern feel. They are beautiful but hard to capture in a moving car. We are on our way to Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, where two nights a week trained conservationists run a turtle nesting walk. In Hobe Sound, the nighttime sea turtle nesting walk is done on the public beach Thursday and Friday nights. There are also two other organizations in the area that do similar sea turtle nesting walks: the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Centre and Florida Power and Light. These tours are family friendly and very popular so book one as soon as you get there, or before you leave your home. You can find more details about these at: discovermartin.com [tweetthis]TRAVELER TIP: You should do these walks with conservationists trained to safely do sea turtle walks. #LOVEFL [/tweetthis] In Hobe Sound Turtle Nesting Walk – educational for the entire family We meet our group at 8 p.m. and are told these nights can be quite late. Be prepared to return home around midnight or potentially later. There have been some late nights recently, says the executive director of this non profit organization. Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge also offers day camps throughout the summer for children and the public can explore the trails during the day. There’s a small gift shop inside the main building. A few creatures and fish are inside small aquariums in a clean, well lit, space staffed with volunteers. If you spend much time in the region, you can buy a yearly membership to Hobe Sound and visit at your leisure. We move to a different building for a brief presentation and the executive director gives us a lesson on sea turtles in the Florida area along with some history of the breeds that have been endangered or threatened. Turtles weigh hundreds of pounds depending on what type and how old they are.. The nesting process is perilous and quite an ordeal. When female turtles are ready to nest they travel hundreds of miles, waiting until after dark to drag their huge bodies onto the shore where they dig a two foot deep hole or egg chamber and lay 100 to 150 eggs. They then cover them over, pat the sand down and camouflage their nests, erasing any immediate impressions of where they buried the eggs. Then the female turtles leave. Two months later the eggs hatch and the tiny new sea turtles make their way to the shoreline on their own. Night is the time when most sea turtles do their nesting. That is necessary in order to avoid predators and humans. [tweetthis]Of the 7 types of sea turtles found worldwide 5 can be found nesting on Florida beaches. #discovermartin #LOVEFL[/tweetthis] The five types of sea turtles that are common to these south east Florida beaches are: Loggerhead, Leatherback, Hawksbill, Green and Kemp’s Ridley, which is the smallest of the five. Adult sea turtles travel tens of thousands of miles. Most are migratory and despite having relatively small brains, will return to the precise beach where they were born to lay their eggs when they are old enough to lay. After the presentation ends, we gather near our cars and drive to a pavilion by Jupiter Island Beach where we wait for word from the turtle spotters watching the beach and shoreline for activity. Around 10 pm one of the turtle spotters, a volunteer and conservationist, uses a walkie talkie to indicate she has spied a loggerhead turtle on the beach looking for a nesting spot. About fifteen minutes later she has found the spot she will lay her eggs and started digging a hole. We walk slowly without any lights or phones. Bright lights can cause turtles to become disoriented and drop their eggs or flee to the ocean. Occasionally bright lights left on by homeowners or cottage owners can confuse the turtle’s sense of direction and they can end up on the road. That jeopardizes the species and the entire nesting process. A group of about 30 of us walks by the shoreline so we do not trip over or startle any other sea turtles that might suddenly appear. We range in ages from 5 up to about 75. There are a couple of multi-generational groups traveling together too. The nesting walk is a great activity for grandparents to do with the kids and grandkids. It is educational and affordable. Up ahead there’s a volunteer turtle spotter holding a red flashlight. The red light is allowed on the turtle nesting walk, but it is also not to be aimed anywhere near the turtle’s head. We spy the turtle. She’s a large loggerhead girl with several barnacles on her shell and she’s already laying. At this point she has already dropped about 50 rubbery eggs into the egg chamber in the sand. They drop in twos and threes sometimes and stay put there as she occasionally rests. We learn that when she lifts her back flippers that means eggs will drop again. The turtle spotter tells us that the eggs line her entire body right before she is about to lay them. Some eggs can take great effort to expel if they are up higher in her body. People are reminded to stay back from her head. We stand and crouch along her sides and back watching this incredible process. It is magnificent to watch something so large and prehistoric looking as she nests. Her job is a big one. The many species that lay their eggs here on the beaches off Florida are threatened. Every two weeks of this season the turtles here will lay. Because they are a threatened species these turtles are monitored, and conservationists like these ones report each time they spot a new nest, plus the type and location of the nest. That work will be done in the morning. About 1 in 30 nests are marked. If they marked every nest the beach would be nothing but turtle nest markers with no spots to sit. That’s how many nests there are this time of year. Sea turtle nesting season is March 1 to October 31st on the Atlantic side and May 1st to October 31st on the Gulf Side. This turtle is somewhere between 175 and 350 pounds. She is spectacular. [tweetthis]Never leave holes in sandy Martin County beaches. Sea Turtles can fall in & get hurt. #LOVEFL #discoverMartin[/tweetthis] This particular loggerhead is efficient, at least until we realize she has fallen asleep. The turtle spotter explains that these gals lay all summer every two weeks and she might have already done this several times this summer. The same volunteer gently wakes her back up without touching her. Then the turtle carefully and artfully camouflages her eggs. She spends a good 10 to 15 minutes just doing that, shifting her large shell and body sideways, and forwards and back, dragging herself so that she erases any indication she has been laying eggs here. It’s stunning how much effort she gives the process of hiding that egg chamber from predators. In about two months, these eggs will hatch and the babies will find their way to the ocean. That hatching often happens at night, but it’s possible people could be sitting on their lawn chairs or beach blankets right beside them when they suddenly hatch. Every volunteer has a story about being surprised by sudden sea turtle hatching and some have also seen the occasional turtle nesting in broad daylight. Baby loggerheads live their lives in the ocean and migrate miles and miles around the world. When small, they hang out for a few years in floating seaweed just off shore until old enough to swim in coastal waters. The mother turtles never meet their babies. When the hatchlings are grown up and ready to lay their eggs they will return to this same spot. This area of Martin County Florida has about five of the worlds seven types of sea turtles. About 90 % of them return to nest here. Traveler Tip: Bring Bug spray, wear long pants and long sleeves and bring a poncho if the weather looks like rain. Do not be skimpy with the bug spray. I covered my legs and sprayed a lot of bug spray on and my ankles are still itchy from the bug bites. This sea turtle nesting walk out of Hobe Sound was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had while traveling. I have always wanted to see this process. I once contemplated visiting Mexico to see hatchlings make their way to the sea, but then this trip to Martin County, Florida came about. This turtle nesting walk is an experience I will never forget. I recommend this as a multi-generational and education experience for the entire family. Kids need to be able to be calm during the beach portion of the nesting tour so this might be challenging for some. The night we did this there was a family of children that were captivated and really well behaved watching the process. The youngest looked to be about five. There were teens who needed to be reminded to stay off the beach prior to the walk however. So be sure your kids can handle the lateness, the waiting and the rules involved. My kids are 12 and 14 and they would have LOVED this. I would return another time to take them to see this. Traveler Tip: Do Not Use Flashlights on the beach or Flash photography. The light scares the turtles and sometimes means that the turtle will run back into the ocean or drop the eggs and run off. Also it can cause them to become disoriented. A few of the members of our group disappear right after they snap pictures. The bugs are heavy but we stay because this is a once in a lifetime kind of tour. As we watch the water wash over the massive turtle we start quietly back to our cars walking by the shoreline again. We get about 50 feet down the shoreline when the director warns us to stop. Our eyes are adjusting to the dark and we can just make out the shape of another huge loggerhead turtle creeping slowly out of the ocean and onto the sand. I look around wondering how many more will do this throughout the night. We pause and respect her right of way, making sure we all leap over the tracks or do our best not to trample them. This is a night I will not forget. I am astounded to have seen two of these creatures, known to have lived during the dinosaur age. It is even sweeter to have witnessed this on their terms, in their natural habitat. Sea Turtle Nesting Walk in Hobe Sound: The sea turtle nesting walk in Martin County, Florida is something everyone should experience. These tours are also available in Indian River County near Vero Beach. I was a guest of Martin County and Indian River County while in Florida and have been working with them to tell these stories. I have received perks, accommodations, tours, flights, meals and other compensation. My opinion is all my own and it is truthful.

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31 Things To Do at Smugglers’ Notch Resort Vermont

Paula — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 11:43:23 +0000

There are so many great things to do at Smugglers’ Notch Resort Vermont that it’s hard to know what to pick first. There are dozens of great activities for winter warriors, and even more fun family centred excursions. You will want to do them all. Your kids will also want to do them all. It’s not unlike traveling to Disney. You simply have to prioritize. I mean life is full of hard choices, right? You can either stay long enough to tackle a bit of everything or come back repeatedly and discover new things every visit. Either way you will love your stay at Smuggs. 31 Fun Activities at Smugglers’ Notch, Resort Vermont We had a chance to visit Smugglers’ Notch Resort this winter and we had a fabulous time. The northern Vermont resort is one of the most family friendly spots we have ever visited. Plus there’s no end to what you can do while visiting this beautiful friendly resort Vermont destination. Preregistration is recommended for many of the events and activities here. Check the RIG (resort information guide) for full details regarding timing, prices and age limitations as well. Let’s Start with the Obvious Winter Sports Skiing The skiing is excellent here. So many great runs and three mountains to choose from – there are beautiful meandering runs like Meadowlark and Garden Path (which is not a cakewalk – there’s a good first pitch there – and the only triple black diamond in the east. That is to say there is something for every single skier in your family or your group.) Snowboarding Snowboard (there are many activities related to this and there’s also a night school for boarding and jibbing. Such a great spot to carve – memories will be made here that last forever.) CIDER WALK – The Nordic Centre at Smugglers’ Notch Resort Vermont is the place to sign up for several different things We signed up for the Cider Walk and joined our tour guide at the Nordic Centre one day after a full ski lesson and ski university (for the kids) We strapped on some snowshoes and hiked through the forest for about an hour then headed back to the Nordic Centre where we had some apple cider to finish the excursion off. There’s an extra fee for the cider walk. There’s also a Smores and Snowshoes walk that sounded pretty fantastic too. This was excellent physical activity too. After skiing most of the day we were exhausted and still managed to get through the snowshoe hike. But I could feel it the next day for sure. The guide we had knew what he was doing and he was pretty good with our kids too. He had my youngest engaged regarding trolls living beneath bridges. This was a lot of fun for all of us. Take a Cat Trax Ride. We did this for the first time ever and it was so much fun! Plus Cat Trax is offered several nights a week. Click through the link to read more about our Cat Trax ride up Madonna Mountain. It is one of the coolest things we have ever done as a family together. Twice a week the Cat Trax Express climbs vertically up the mountain all the way to the very top. It’s a heated ride up the side of the mountain. There is room for 12 inside the cab. The Cat Trax Express is relatively new at Smuggs. Be warned children must be six and up and the cost is $49 per person. This is a fun ride though. You must try it at least once! I-did-a-sled – Fun Family entertainment. This was an all ages family friendly competition and it was included as part of the Resort Information Guide (RIG). No extra fee. With cardboard, paint, streamers and duct tape you and one other partner have to design and build a sled in an hour. Then you launch the sleds off of Sir Henry’s learning area. So much fun! Ours didn’t travel too far and it was a blistering cold night but building it was fun and the kids enjoyed trying to race it down the beginner’s hill. Snowshoe – There’s a Soup and Snowshoes excursion and a Snowshoe lesson winter survival trek too. There are snowshoe hikes and a back country snow shoe tour too. There’s an extra fee for these activities. Highly recommend trying one of these snowshoe activities. The snowshoes are very current and the guide knows what he is doing. Cross Country ski There are cross country group and private lessons too. Swim There are more than a couple of pools here. Each community has a community centre with an indoor pool and play zone. There’s also an all ages lap pool. Tubing Who doesn’t love tubing? It’s a great way to have some fun while not exerting yourself too much after a long day of skiing, or ski university. Ziplining – Arbortrek Zipline Canopy Adventure Park Open both summer and winter. This is just a couple of minutes from the entry of Smuggs. Check http://www.smuggs.com/arbortrek/ for more information. Daily at 10 am and 1 p.m. Also an extra cost of about $100 US each. This lasts about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 8 ziplines, two sky bridges, and 2 rappels. I’d love to do this but maybe when the weather is a bit warmer. They run all winter and summer too. Family Karaoke I mean why not? Kid’s Night Out This is something I wish we could have taken advantage of much earlier. Call Treasures Nursery and Child Care and find out when they have a Kid’s Night Out scheduled to happen. I wish like mad that we had learned how to ski earlier and when the kids were younger. Treasures Nursery is amazing. We took an hour one day and rode over to visit the Nursery and talk with the supervisor there while taking pictures. Such a great space and a reliable staff with which to leave your little people. You can also book a babysitter for the evening. If you are booking your vacation time here make sure to call ahead so they can staff adequately and your child will be well looked after. I would have used this when the kids were small had I ever had the chance to visit Vermont back then. We only just discovered skiing in 2015. Ski University Amazing. That’s all I have to say about this. My kids loved ski university. The staff were exceptional and might be some of the best I have ever encountered anywhere. Winter Walking You don’t need any extra equipment for a good long walk in the snow. Explore the Notch. Good for ages 18 plus. Airboarding There wasn’t enough snow for this to be operating when we were there during the unusually mild winter we just had but this is something we would do for sure. We’d return for this too. Age 12 and older. Helmets are required. Meet at Morse Highlands Lodge. If the upper Morse Highlands lift is not running then this is cancelled. Otherwise you access via the lift and the airboarding is done at Upper Morse Highlands All Terrain Park. Done on something that looks like a boogie board or inflatable sled. No prior experience is needed. We would return to try this also. Broomball Age seven and up at the ice rink. Snowmobile Evening Tour Snowmobiling can be a lot of fun and a really enjoyable Kid’s Mini-Snowmobile Just what it sounds like. For ages 6-12. Must have a helmet and parent must be present. $27 each for a half hour ride. Dodgeball There are quite a lot of fun activities that teens can join in when they aren’t skiing or snowboarding. Water Aerobics Stay fit while on vacation. This appeals to older relatives and non skiers too. Ice Skating Skating Located near the Nordic Centre. All ages outdoor ice skating and you can rent skates too for a small fee. Fun Zone Bouncy house, mini golf, arcades and so much more. Don’t miss this! Yoga for Every Body All ages at least once a week – preregister and wear workout gear. Good for alignment and balance necessary for skiing! Fireworks On Thursday nights there is a TOP of Morse Cat Trax Express fireworks show. Character Dance Party Often in the Meeting House. Boogie with Billy Bob or Mambo with Mogul Mouse Arts and Crafts There are several arts and crafts kinds of activities scheduled throughout the week. Women’s Ski Clinics NEXT TIME!!! I am ready for ski clinics now. I actually really loved the nearly private lessons though. I had private lessons almost every day but one, when I shared with one other woman who had flown in with family from Puerto Rico! I am so ready to challenge myself next time. Mountain Massage Centre WELL, of course there are several spa type treatments here too. Honestly that would be a very different vacation for me because the mountains and the people are the best features at this place. Beaver Trek Take a hike and explore the wildlife. Learn a little about the history of the area too. Sugar on Snow Snowshoe Trek We missed this, but let’s face it how many hours are there in a day. There are dozens of really fun snowshoe treks and when we return we will do this one. Hot Tubs Located in pretty much all of the communities and in the resort community centre spaces that are central to each area, if you can’t find a hot tub here then you just aren’t looking. PIN THIS FOR LATER – > There’s more than enough for everyone to find something they love and embrace it at Smugglers’ Notch. I will return for the skiing and the people. Staff were exceptional with our kids. If you are a beginning skier it wouldn’t hurt to read this post – Five Ski Gear Tips. Smugglers’ Notch is also on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Follow hashtag #SMUGGS or #SMUGGSLOVE to read up on current conditions if you plan to go. I was a media guest at Smugglers’ Notch this past winter. My accommodations and activities were all complimentary. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful. We loved every moment of our stay.

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2015 Family Travel Reflections: Or That Time I Found Myself Crying as We Set Sail #travel

Paula — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 04:13:00 +0000

I am standing on the deck of a massive cruise ship tearing up when I realize 2015 might have been more challenging than I ever admitted. Sometimes this family has to stop, drop everything and hop on a cruise ship, or visit an island resort. Family travel is as crucial to us as getting the flu shot, or getting vaccinations, or filling the fridge with food. I know every parent has moments and most parents also deserve a big fat vacation occasionally. Parenting is hard work and when you have a job outside of that, it is also exhausting. Now add demands of special needs parenting to that equation. Together that formula is enough to tip the scales into depression, divorce, illness, disruption. That’s not where I want to end up. So we travel. There’s other stuff we do too in order to maintain sanity and health. We work out often and strive to eat fairly well. But family travel is the place we go when we are done with the rest of the world and simply need to be a family. Period. 2015 was a good year, but it was also way more challenging than I ever stopped to notice. I recognized that we were worn out and stressed out back in October and I knew we needed a break. When I see myself and my husband both transformed into dead exhausted, sleep walking, almost depressed, irritable, cranky, grumpy, drained and really ineffective parents then I know we need to find a way to get away. For most parents, taking a break is vital to being healthy, mentally and physically. I also know many can’t afford the luxury of travel and believe me I know we are fortunate that we can. I would sell our second vehicle and walk everywhere for months if it meant we got a week away together. Family travel time is that important to us. I also wrote about family travel as respite earlier this year. I also know the statistics. Over 80 % of special needs parents get divorced. We get sicker faster and more often. In this house I also have Crohn’s, so I need to try to maintain some healthy habits as a foundation for my health too. We lose our short term memory often due to chronic stress. We also burn out. We give up. Some quit. Studies have been done linking special needs parenting to post traumatic stress disorder. Results of those studies have equated this experience parenting to be on par with living in a war zone. That SHOULDN’T be the case in Canada where we preach tolerance, human rights, and support and equality. But we are not statistics. We are a family on a cruise ship. One of the happiest places on earth. We are setting sail – it’s the embarkation party. Why am I crying? This is my Christmas present to all of us. Holding a novel in my hand watching the horizon retreat. Scoping out which lounge chair I will choose. One of my daughters is holding my other hand. Another has found her people already. Same girl who worried she wouldn’t meet any kids on this trip. We have been on the boat for about 2 hours and she’s taking names and text numbers. My worrier races away from the lounge chairs to start dancing happily, with the cruise director and a bunch of strangers. As if she didn’t have a care in the world. This is the child who spent the past 11 months limping. Same girl we spent the better part of the year carting back and forth to the hospital and specialists, fighting for a CAT scan for what everyone thought was juvenile arthritis. To my right, I spy my younger daughter jump in a hot tub, beaming at me from the deck. My busy, sporty, active 11-year-old who hit puberty with a vengeance this year as she entered grade 6. The girl we are always fighting for services over. She is happy and calm and thriving right here, right now. (I often wish I could raise and educate that one on an island.) Sometimes I think every special needs parent who survives September, June and December should simply be able to take a cruise or hop on a plane for a week at a resort. Special needs parenting is rewarding and wonderful and all those cliches, but it is also the most draining experience advocating for services into a void all year long. I summed it up here last year in a post about special needs adoption. I also talked about some of the agonizing over choosing a high school for my older daughter too. Here we are, I think. I wonder how long I have been holding my breath. And I bite my cheek hard to keep the tears from spilling all over. Emotional leakage. Adoption disruption happens all the time. People don’t keep stats on that. We will not be that family. Our family is forever. But I know exactly how it happens. Special needs kids and special needs parents can be excellent at developing coping mechanisms. Mine is working until I am ready to drop, so that I cannot waste time stressing out over the latest service failure, or the awful inadequacies of systems that are supposed to help parents raising kids with special needs. My last work quarter was insanity and this year some of the clients I worked with ended up realizing goals we have been working on together for 3 years now. That was exceptionally gratifying. I have escaped into that work. I can escape a million times a day in my strategy and my writing. I love what I do for a living and I love my family. I work hard to keep both strong and successful. This year I worked hard. We all did. This year we also travelled a fair bit. I did some travel blogging and occasionally we ended up on a trip together, but those are working trips with social media promotions, posts, tweets flowing out of them. This is our trip. Our time together enjoying each other without homework battles, doctor’s appointments, show week, lessons, IEP meetings, arguments with anyone. At one point on this trip my daughter asked is this a work trip, like for free? My husband blurted: No, this is a trip that was paid for by the fact your Mom has worked 24/7 for the last six months. Fair enough. So why am I crying? I’m crying because we are here. Because my kids haven’t been carefree in months. I’m crying because we are lucky, and fortunate to be parents. Because sometimes I still miss my Mom. Because the year went fast and I am excruciatingly tired. Because a trillion small things need to be done the week before family travel. Because I built a business that is this successful that we can travel together when I think we really need to. Maybe I’m crying because juvenile arthritis didn’t win this round and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder won’t either.

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Travel Is Series Celebration and Giveaway #TravelTuesday #NTTW2015

Paula — Tue, 05 May 2015 20:35:07 +0000

This month dozens of the blog-o-sphere’s best travel bloggers are sharing what travel is to them. I have had some amazing travel opportunities, both for business and pleasure this year. Colombia was an epic adventure and a great learning experience with World Vision Canada. The cruise we took together as a family was amazing and such a great chance to restore. The trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was a wonderful active mother daughter trip that we loved. And the Tremblant Quebec trip where we all learned to ski was epic and busy and challenging, and a trip were hope to repeat. We visited Montreal and Ottawa in the summer months and I also had occasion to see San Jose, California and Atlanta throughout the year. British Colombia and Alberta were in there too. Each trip was unique, as they always are. Right now you can read some really amazing posts being shared on Word Traveling.com. My post, Travel is Respite will run May 12th. I am talking about Special Needs and travelling and where the two intersect. Join me over there this month and read some of the best family travel ideas 2015. Visit this link for all the great posts and all the amazing giveaways! You could win a trip to Florida. Come back here May 12th for a link to my post about Family Travel as Respite. You might even find some great tips and travel ideas to help you book your own family travel ideas 2015. http://wordtraveling.com/travel-tips-top-bloggers/ This is Travel Tuesday. I run a perpetual link every Tuesday and we share our favourite travel posts here: Related articles across the web Southwest Airlines applies to fly between Denver, Puerto Vallarta Selena Gomez — Body Banging and Bikini Clinging … Pinky Swear Memories of Mexico: Photo Series Gwyneth, Chris Vacation In Mexico: Gwyneth Paltrow And Chris Martin Take Children To Puerto Vallarta Canadian tourists warned to limit movements, remain vigilant in Mexico

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Travel Tuesday Roatan Honduras Selfie #Linky

Paula — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 13:10:50 +0000

It’s Tuesday and that means it’s time to link up your awesome travel photos or blog posts and share the love of travel with each other. This was my magical travel moment he first week of January. Midway through our recent cruise I woke to find this! Magical and amazing. We sailed all night and slept like babies and woke to find we were in this gorgeous place we had never been before – Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Honduras. Honduras alone was captivating to me as a first time visitor. I hope to return to see more of this beautiful travel destination. Perhaps, a resort trip awaits another time. I’ve been basking in the warmth of our memories of winter travel and starting the New Year 2015 on a sailboat in the ocean being pampered, relaxing and simply reconnecting with family. I told you my top ten reasons why we will take a family cruise again. The cruise itself was eye opening and enjoyable. Service was spectacular and top notch. But the real magic…the real moment that sealed the deal encapsulating the sweet unique pleasure of cruise travel was this one. My family sleeping, that leisurely January morning I tiptoed out onto the balcony of our room (which I loved. thankfully Carnival Pride had balconies for almost every room.) and wondered what I would see. Had we stopped? Were we still cruising gently on the ocean? This sunny saturated morning and a backdrop of lush trees – Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Honduras. We were here. It was time for us to explore. Travel Roatan, Honduras awaited. What could be more exciting!? It was one of the most breathtaking experiences during the cruise. You go to sleep in one country and wake up in this exotic and gorgeous sunny destination. We went ashore and checked out the beach and the shopping and we snapped a picture our two. There are some ports where when you travel via cruise ship you can’t get close to the shore because it is too shallow. Then you board a boat, a tender and go ashore to see the port of call. This one was not one of those. We pulled right up and walked onto the beach. Link up your photos or blog posts and let’s celebrate the beauty of travel. Leave a comment. Have you ever been to Roatan, Honduras? I promise to visit each of your travel posts and leave a comment if you have a comment system. Happy Travels.

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