Category: florida


Sep
2014

Visiting the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach, Florida #FamilyTravel

categories: beach, florida, travel

visiting gulfarium florida

The last week of our Southern Road Trip was spent in one of my favorite places, the Florida Panhandle. I grew up vacationing on the sugar white sands of the Miracle Strip and visiting the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park. I had the opportunity to visit the Gulfarium again with my own children this summer and can’t wait to share our adventure with you. Read more about our beach vacation tips for families here, our beach week meal plan here, and activities for the kids at the beach here.

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Aug
2014

Frugal Family Travel Tips: How to Take a BIG Trip on a Little Budget

categories: beach, budget, financial freedom, florida, frugal, travel

bigtriplittlebudgetfamilytravel

We recently returned from a 26 day road trip through the southeastern United States. We visited 11 states, drove over 3000 miles, and had an amazing time. We live on a tight budget on my husband’s teacher salary (plus the part time income from this blog and my part time job with Young Life). We live debt free and don’t use credit cards at all (thanks to Dave Ramsey‘s Total Money Makeover). So, how did we take such a big trip on a little budget? We got creative, kept it simple, and made a plan we could stick to. Read on to find out tips for taking big trips when your income is small.

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Oct
2013

Tips for Taking a Baby to Disney World

categories: family, florida, travel
 I love Disney and was blessed to go three times through my former job with Young Life.  Jed asked me to marry him in front of Cinderella’s Castle in 2008 and we were able to take the Bear with us on our last trip.  We are big fans.  I’m hoping and planning to go back when the kids are little bigger, but I want you to know it is possible to take a baby and enjoy it.  The Bear was 8 months old on our last trip, and still nursing.  We did some things right, learned from our mistakes, and had a fabulous time.
Five Tips for Taking  Baby to Disney World
1) Don’t try to do too much.
This was our biggest mistake.  We had a park hopper pass and tried to do 2 parks in one day.  It caused unnecessary stress and it would have been much better to spread the parks out.  Take time to relax and don’t skip out on nap and rest time for your little one.
2) Take your baby on some rides and ride swap on others.
It might sound crazy, but we took the Bear on some rides.  He LOVED It’s a Small World and the Haunted Mansion.  He had no idea the mansion was supposed to be scary and loved all the lights and the gently turning ride.  For more intense rides, ride swap is available.  One parent rides while the other waits with a cast member and the baby, then the parents switch out.
3) Plan ahead for meals. (for everyone)
This was our other big mistake.  We didn’t realize reservations were required months in advance and were laughed at by a haughty hostess at Epcot.  The walk up places are still fine, but we will get reservations next time.  We did bring baby food with us and planned our routes around when Bear would need to nurse.  There are baby care centers at all the parks and they are lovely.  I nursed Bear throughout the day in the baby centers and it was such a nice, quiet break for both of us.  They have everything you need there and the staff are amazing.  One of my favorite things about Disney Parks is how much each cast member seems to love their job.  These ladies were no exception.
4) Pack that stroller like you mean it.
Think through everything your baby might need and then double it.  Extra clothes all around, extra diapers, a blanket, a rain jacket for everyone, everything you might need.  The two best things we brought were a dark rain jacket to cover the stroller for naps and our iPhone with a sound machine app on it.  We turned on the white noise, covered the stroller, and the Bear napped three times and nearly slept through the fireworks.  I highly recommend bringing a sling or Ergo to carry your babe around in so they can have a change of scenery and get out of the stroller.
5) Know when to fold ’em.
You may have to go back to your resort in the middle of the day for a nap.  It is okay.  You may not get to see the fireworks every night of your trip.  Still okay.  Sometimes your baby can be pushed to stay up, nap in the stroller or in the carrier, and go with the flow.  Other times they will bend you to their will like a tiny tyrant.  Flexibility is the name of the game.  Relax and enjoy, but don’t stress out about missing out on the Dumbo ride because your sweet babe was done for the day.

Have you been to Disney World? What would your dream Disney vacation include?
Follow Becca’s board Family Travel on Pinterest.


Sep
2013

Family Travel: Our Family Beach Trip

categories: beach, family, florida, toddlers, travel
I am a beach girl at heart, and love it all the more when my family is with me.  This year we were blessed to join my parents and siblings in Navarre Beach, Florida for an amazing week.  It was crazy and fun and so sweet to be with everyone.  Look at these two.  Aren’t they the cutest?!  My sister and I had babies 6 weeks apart, so this was the first time we got to meet the newbies.  There was a lot of baby snuggling happening in that beach house, let me tell you.  

 We attempted to get a photo of all five grandbabies, but it proved above our pay grade.  Luke was NOT having it.  At all.  Note to self: next time have the baby entertainers stand directly behind me so the kids are not looking to the side.

 Then it was time for everybody’s {least} favorite part of the whole week, the group photo.  I always end up organizing it because I’m the oldest child and it’s just what I do.  My mom bought matching outfits for the kids and the rest of us wore any shade of blue, brown, or white.

 We traded photo shoots with our neighbors because I forgot my tripod.  This was WAY easier than running back and forth after setting the timer.  I need a remote.

 We all survived and had a blast.  We are pretty low key when we go to the beach, and spend most of our time just enjoying the sand and water rather than tourist activities.  We eat fresh seafood we cook ourselves every night and do a lot of laughing and playing.  Best week ever.

 This one is my favorite because we are all laughing.  Caroline’s face (in the middle) is the best.

Do you have a favorite beach? Where?


Feb
2012

My Harry Potter Adventure

categories: florida, travel
Welcome to Hogsmeade.  
Harry Potter Nerd Alert
Warning…  Warning…  
I’ve read all the Harry Potter books three times.  
When I finished the last one I was distraught and didn’t know how to go on, so I gave it an hour and then read the last few chapters again for closure.  So good.  
Please respect the spell limits.
Enjoy the butterbeer.  
I had two frozen, and they were delicious.

On a recent trip to Orlando for Young Life’s All Staff Conference I had a few hours of free time and decided to embrace my nerdy obsessive side and venture over to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure to explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  It was all I had hoped for and more.  
Jed does not share my Harry Potter obsession.  It is an issue we are working through in our marriage.  During our full day of free time we went to Epcot and the Magic Kingdom so that he could have fun, too.  Thankfully my friend Jen shares my obsession and was willing to nerd out with me for a bit.  We were like giddy schoolgirls.  In wizard robes.  Just kidding, we didn’t have wizard robes.  But I wish we did. 
   

It was magical.  
All aboard the Hogwarts Express.  
The ride inside the castle rocked.  Seriously, the scenery from the line was amazing.  They really did a phenomenal job.  There are only three rides, and the lines were short so we rode all of them.  Hagrid’s house was in the line for the Flight of the Hippogriff ride.  Flight of the Hippogriff is more of a kiddie coaster, so I was thankful we only had to wait 10 minutes.  The Dragon Challenge is a super fun double coaster with tons of flips and twists.  It rocked.  So did the 5 minute line.    
The village of Hogsmeade is so cute and magical.  The shops stay true to the Harry Potter books, and I had to buy some candy in Honeydukes.  I wish we had time to eat at The Three Broomsticks or Hogshead Pub.  We did go in and explore, and they were both so well done.    
If you are a fellow Harry Potter nerd, The Wizarding World is a must do.  It isn’t cheap or in any way frugal, but it is a trip into the world of your imagination straight out of the books.  If you aren’t a Harry Potter nerd, you are missing out on so much and I can’t help you.  Read the books and join the fun.  The movies are great, too, but the books are pure magic.