The Top Summer Adventures To Have With Your Kids

May 20, 2016 By Anne

One of the best things about this time of year is that you get to start thinking about summer holidays. When you have a whole family to think about, planning for the summer can be a challenge. However, it is also a real joy – especially with young children in the mix. Finding suitable holiday destinations can take a considerable amount of time and effort. No matter, it is always worth it when you get to go on that holiday with all the family. One great idea for those with kids is to go to an adventure park or a holiday park. The great thing about this option is that these destinations tend to have everything taken care of. It is unlikely that you will have to worry about catering or accommodation, as it will all be included. This certainly has one major benefit: it makes planning the trip that much easier. It also means that you can spend less time on your holiday rushing around, and more time relaxing. The only question now is: which park? To help you out, here are a few of the best, from all over the world.

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Avventura Etna

If your little ones have a penchant for the woodland, then this is probably your ideal choice. Set in the glorious area of Mount Etna, this is a family holiday park with a difference. Complete with treetop adventures and zipwire screams, this is great for those who have a wild streak. And for those who just want to relax on their holiday, it caters for them too. The accommodation is truly Italian, with terraces and sprawling garden you can unwind in. The variation in this park makes it ideal for the family which has difficulty deciding between options. A definite must-consider for any family. See http://www.parcoavventuraetna.it/ for more information.

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Disney World

It is a real classic, and that is for a very good reason. For many years now, Disney World has been delighting adults and children alike with its magical ways. If you are planning a holiday for 2016, then you can’t ignore the possibility of going to Disney World. This place has so much to offer that it is impossible to name it all. No matter how old your children are, they are sure to have the time of their lives. What’s more, there are plenty of activities for adults too. You can even get involved in some Disney Golf if that takes your fancy. For more information on that, see atthetee.com.

Southerness

Located in a beautiful area in rural Scotland, the Southerness holiday park is one unlike any other. This is a sea view park with miles of beaches and a stunning setting. If you or your kids tend to enjoy water parks, then there are not many which are more successful than this one. Most of it in indoors, which is good news if the weather turns sour. However, the beauty of Scotland is that it is glorious in any weather. Consider Southerness for a holiday park with a difference this year. Look here for more: www.parkdeanholidays.co.uk

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Introducing You To The Canary Islands And Why They Are Worth Your Vacation Time

May 5, 2016 By Anne

The Canary Islands are a collection of islands in the Atlantic ocean. Not far from the coast of Africa. They are a popular tourist destination amongst European travellers. So I thought I would share with you some facts about some of the islands and why you should consider spending your vacation time there.

There are seven main islands, with a few smaller non habitable locations, giving you thirteen in total, making up this collection. They enjoy a wonderful climate of year round sunshine. Of course, the winter months are a little cooler, and some of the islands are breezy, but you won’t be disappointed.

A little fact is that the each island landscape is different from the other. Here is a little more about the islands.

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Lanzarote

Known affectionately as the windy isle Lanzarote can capture your heart and soul. It is one of the most popular destinations to visit and with cheap family holidays to Lanzarote, it is easy to see why. It is known for its volcanic landscapes and perfect beaches for windsurfing.

Tenerife

Another popular destination for tourists and vacation goers is Tenerife. Tenerife is well-known for its volcanic black sand beaches and vibrant night-life. The resorts are a hustle and bustle with bars and restaurants.

Gran Canaria

If long stretches of white sandy beaches are more your thing, then look no further than the island of Gran Canaria. With many resorts suiting happening couples to families there is something for everyone. The duty-free shopping in Las Palmas is also worthy of a mention.

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Fuerteventura

Sand dunes galore stretch out on the coastline of Fuerteventura. A more reserved choice for a quieter holiday this island is simply beautiful. With stunning beaches and perfect wind for water sports, there is a lot to do.

La Palma

This Island is the most westerly island of the collection and is the fifth largest of the main seven islands. La Palma is untouched with it’s beauty offering a more green aspect compared to the other locations.

La Gomera

This island has many hiking trails to enjoy and dense forest. A location for the thrill-seeker vacation goer that is for sure. There are white cliffs that dorne black sandy beaches. A real mix of a landscape on this island.

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El Hierro

The furthest southern island this is the smallest in population. It has a beautiful coastline and unspoilt coves. It has a total population of just over 10,000 and it was the first of the Canary Islands to become totally self-sufficient.

You also have Graciosa, which can be seen in it’s entirety from a point in Lanzarote. There is also Lobos Island, Alegranza, Montana Clara, Roque del Oeste and Roque del Este. Some of these islands are inhabited and can be seen from certain points from the other islands. These will have formed during the volcanic eruptions.

There is plenty to see and do on these islands; this is why tourists go back year after year. They are worth your consideration for your next vacation.

Anne

Moving “Down Under”?

April 29, 2016 By Heather Little

This is a sponsored post.

Have you ever considered moving overseas? A college friend of mine recently moved to Australia with his family, and from his updates and pictures, it looks like life “down under” is suiting them all very well! I admit, the idea is fascinating to me, although I always imagined it would be a huge undertaking to move half way across the world! However, in a place like Australia where they speak the same language and have relatively few cultural differences, I can see where it would be an attractive place for Americans and other expatriates looking to move abroad.

Aside from great weather, affordable housing, and plenty of business opportunities, the cost of living in Australia is low and residents generally enjoy a good quality of life. Not to mention, the list of places to go and things to see in Australia is endless – beautiful beaches, amazing wildlife, the vast Outback, fabulous modern cities, like Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria.

A quick search online for houses for sale in Melbourne gives you a lot of great choices of housing that will suit every need of a family. Browsing and looking at all the amazing communities in Melbourne makes me think purchasing a new home “down under” would be a really fun experience!

So what are your thoughts about moving overseas? Does the idea of becoming an honorary Aussie appeal to you?

Heather Little

My name is Heather Little and my husband and I have two sweet girls and one crazy dog. We moved to Florida 6 years ago and have loved every minute of it! I enjoy crafting, good food, shopping, and of course travel!

Here are Some Ideas On How To Keep Your Kids Entertained During Spring Break #sponsored #pley

March 5, 2016 By Marijean

Spring Break is quickly approaching (wait, wasn’t it JUST Christmas??). The kids have off from school for a full week and they won’t want to sit around the house. So you think “What should we all do?” I have a list of great ideas to get out of the house (and a couple for maybe rainy days or days you just want to hang home) and get moving and have fun!

Here are some fun things to do with your children on Spring break!

Plan a day trip. Doesn’t have to be far away, but going to a new place the kids haven’t been before will be fun for all of you. Check out a Museum, Zoo, Aquarium, even a State park!

Pack breakfast or lunch and head to the park. If you are on a budget for Spring Break then this is the perfect place to take the kids and enjoy family time. They might run into some friends to play with, even have them do a scavenger hunt! They will have a blast!

Give the kids a surprise and order them an awesome subscription from Pley! Kids love getting mail, on days you just want to hang home Pley would be perfect! They will enjoy fun memory-stimulating toys to build and play with – such as LEGOs or K’nex, Nerf and Robotics Toys, American Girl Doll accessories and so much more! Pley offers a range of plans starting as low as $9.99/month and all plans include free delivery. Once your child is done playing with that toy you can send it back and get a new one! No more clutter!! Your kids (and you) will love Pley for Spring Break!

Photo Credit: Pley

Head out to the beach for a day of fun. Only in warm weather states of course, take the kids for the first beach day of the new year! Bring along some new sand toys and pack a lunch, the kids will love spending the whole day at the beach!

Rain? Head to an indoor play place. Places like Rebounderz, Pump It Up, My Gym and Air Velocity Sports for example are great ways to entertain the kids if bad weather happens. They will have a blast and get out lots of energy for maybe nap time! Oh yea!!!

Have a Craft day. Look up some awesome crafts to do and the kids will be thrilled. Perfect for a bad weather day, or a not feeling so well day.

Playdates, Playdates, Playdates! Your children are going to want to hang with their friends on spring break and not spend all the time with Mom or Dad. Set up playdates beforehand. Some great ideas are Park playdates, Bowling, Mini Golf, Zoo trip and meeting up at the Pool!

Overnight trip. Overnight trips are always fun for kids and adults. How about a night away at Disney World or Disney Land? Buch Gardens is a great one, and so are the indoor water parks such as Great Wolf Lodge. You all will have a blast!

I always look forward to spending more time with my kids, especially when they are off of school. I will definitely be doing most if not all of these ideas. I hope you will too!

What are your plans for Spring Break?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Pley. All opinions are 100% my own.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Seminole County Blog Fam Trip #DoOrlandoNorth

February 9, 2016 By Anne

We’ve driven to Orlando from Jacksonville many times over the past 4 years. We always pass Sanford, FL and I never really thought much about it. I knew there was a small college town in Oviedo and a small airport but that’s about it.

A few weeks ago Seminole County Tourism contacted me about coming to Sanford for a few days with my family to experience North Orlando and all it has to offer. The trip included myself, my husband and my two children.

I love learning about Florida and all the great towns here. Even though I was not born in Florida I’ve always felt like I was a true Florida girl.

I was excited to visit Orlando’s Natural Oasis, Seminole County. There are miles of rivers and acres of beautiful parks. Seminole County is conveniently located just north of Orlando, off Interstate 4 and close to Interstate 95 and Florida’s Turnpike. You are within 45 minutes of Florida’s Beaches or Disney. You will save a lot on hotels as apposed to the hub of downtown Orlando.

Day One of our adventure.

We checked into the Westin Lake Mary Hotel, who welcomed us bloggers and our families with complimentary rooms. The Westin Lake Mary Hotel offers a heated outdoor pool, landscaped courtyard, WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio and Westin Kids Club®. It was a bit chilly, so we were not able to try out the heated pool. The Westin Hotel is also a pet friendly hotel, we saw several dogs being escorted to and from their rooms. It offers a nice convention center, as well.

Seminole County Tourism, staff member, Stephanie and Terry and Mary Jane from Paradise Advertising were at the hotel to greet us with goody bags for each of the kids and one for myself and my husband. We went up to the room and unloaded our stuff and just relaxed for a few minutes before heading down to the lobby for our first adventure. All of us bloggers loaded in a 15 passenger van. It was so nice to be chauffeured around during the trip.

We headed over to Rebounderz of Apopka. Rebounderz of Apopka has 26, 000 square feet of fun, including an open area arena, foam pit jumper, in the air dodgeball and a basketball slam. The kids jumped and bounced for a little over an hour. Some of the other adults partaked in the fun as well but my husband I just watched. I was afraid I might hurt myself :-). As we got in the car we were offered snacks and water until we read your next destination.

The next stop was to Hot Pots! Pottery Studio. I thought for sure my husband and my 15 year old son would not like painting pottery. Surprisingly, they both really enjoyed painting the pottery so much, they want to go again! When we arrived at Hot Pots! we were greeted cheerfiully and we were told we could pick anything from their stock. We chose a tee light candle holder, a dog dish, an alligator and a soup bowl. Everyone had a great time and we can’t wait to receive our glazed pottery in the next week or two.

After we were done we headed back to the hotel for a 45 minute rest. Then it was off to dinner.

Dinner was at Gator’s Dockside restaurant. Gator’s has a family-friendly atmosphere, the mouth-watering menu items and the fun, casual dining experience that makes Gator’s Dockside your favorite place to be.
Gators dockside offers a wide variety of food from hamburgers, chicken, fish and even Gator bites. They also have big screen TV’s, pool tables and video games. There are 19 Gator’s Dockside restaurants in Florida.

After we ate dinner we headed over to Congo River Adventures, in Altamonte Springs, for a game of miniature golf. My family loves mini golf so we were really excited to be able to play. I love when the golf courses have hills and water and lots of fun scenes and this Congo River didn’t disappoint. Congo River Adventure has a mobile app to keep score. No more looking for that little pencil!