Pay It Forward Friday ~ Summer Travel Tips for Families

Kendra Thornton has been packing her bags and traveling the world since she visited the Bahamas at 3 months old.  She is 37 and a mother of 3. Before being promoted to the full time position of mommy, Kendra was the former Director of Communications at Orbitz where she was able to travel all around the world.  Kendra also appears regularly as a travel expert on ABC, CBS, NBC and CW affiliates across the country to share travel trends, tips and deals with millions of viewers every year.

To connect with Kendra, contact her via her website, Thornton PR or on twitter @KendraThornton

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Summer Travel Tips for Families

Whether you are looking to travel to Walt Disney World, the Grand Canyon, or New Orleans, you will likely want a vacation that all members of the family are excited about. Once you’ve settled on a destination, you can begin to do a bit of planning. With special attention paid to the needs of the kids, you can craft a trip that will leave everyone raving for years afterwards.

1) Eat Healthy Breakfasts

Because you will likely want to squeeze the most out of each day, you should be sure that your family eats a nutritious breakfast every morning. At Walt Disney World, many family-friendly Orlando hotels offer tasty breakfast platters to their guests. Even if you are staying at a smaller hotel, however, continental breakfasts will usually be available more often than not. Eating at the hotel will also stop you from gorging on theme park food, which can be quite expensive.

2) Research Your Hotel Options

 

Consider family-friendly hotels whenever possible. Indoor playgrounds, for example, will give the kids something to do during the evenings. Elegant suites will often have refrigerators, freezers, and microwaves. Having a miniature kitchen in your hotel room will allow you to prepare meals on the fly. The fridge, in fact, can be stocked with milk, juice, fruits, and vegetables. It’s great to read reviews before you make any decisions.

3) Set Aside Time for Adults

Though much of your energy will likely be devoted to showing the kids a great time, give yourself some time to relax with your husband. You might agree to watch the kids for an afternoon, for example, while your husband goes golfing. You might also hire a babysitter while the two of you crack open a bottle of champagne on the balcony.

4) Try Audiobooks

Audiobooks can be godsends in many ways. They can be easily downloaded to the latest electronic devices. For kids who have grown tired of listening to music, books are good alternatives. Make sure that you bring along some headphones so that others in the vehicle are not disturbed.

5) Bring Along Hygiene Kits

Planes, trains, and hotel rooms are not the cleanest places on the planet. By packing a hygiene kit, you can quickly clean airplane tray tables and hotel fixtures. Airplanes, in fact, are not typically given full cleanings until the end of the day. Sanitizing wipes can kill germs on contact. Hand sanitizer, meanwhile, can be used before meals.

 

In the end, you will need to think outside the box a bit as you go about planning your vacation. By turning to audio books, hygiene kits, and healthy breakfasts, you can create a wonderful experience for everyone involved. The world, as they say, will be your oyster.

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As a way to share the blogging love and meet new bloggers, I have "Pay it Forward Friday."  This is where I periodically feature fellow bloggers with different interests and from new areas.  If you are interested in writing a guest post for "Pay it Forward Friday," feel free to send me a message!  I would love to feature you!!

Alexis

Discovering Florida ~ Kennedy Space Center

As frequent visitors to Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, we wanted to see new things while we were on Spring Break this year.  The boys are getting older, and therefore they are showing more of an interest in science and exploration.  We decided to take them on a trip to Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Look Ma, I made it to SPACE CAMP!

What a cool place to visit!  There is so much history in this space travel museum...I never knew it all!  As a kid, I watched the movie "Space Camp" and decided that I wanted to go to space camp...then I quickly learned that I am not good at Science, oh well.  Well, visiting Kennedy Space Center sparked all the cool space information that drew me in as a kid.  







Here are just some of the experiences you can have while visiting Kennedy Space Center:
 

-Angry Birds play area

-Shuttle Launch Experience

-IMAX 3-D movies
-sit inside real space capsules and feel the "closeness" that the astronauts felt.

-meet real astronauts

-visit the retired rocket garden

-take a bus guided tour of the grounds

-see a live shuttle launch 

The kids favorite part was The Shuttle Launch Experience.  This ride let us feel what the astronauts really feel when they exit the Earth's atmosphere.  It makes your heart jump!  When leaving the ride, there are plaques that commemorate each individual shuttle launch since the beginning of space travel.  


 
Have you ever been to Kennedy Space Center?  What do you suggest the next time we visit?


Alexis

Sane Traveling ~ Cocoa Beach

For our spring vacation this year, we decided to explore an area of Florida that is new to us.  We live in Miami, a stone's throw to Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.  We've been to Naples and are always in Orlando.  This time we chose to visit Cocoa Beach. 

Despite the fact that a tornado came through the area and kept us in our hotel room for a day; and then the weather turned really cold, so we couldn't spend as much time at the beach as we wanted; we had a great time exploring the area.

Things to do in Cocoa Beach:

Beach
Well, this is just a given.  The sand is so different from the beaches here in South Florida.  It's so soft.  Since it was windy, the waves were great as well.  (My boys love jumping the waves.)  We actually parked at Ron Jon's Surf Shop for free and walked the short walk to the beach.  

  
Ron Jon's Surf Shop
Ron Jon Surf Shop is recognized world-wide as an icon of the surf and beach lifestyle.  The location in Cocoa Beach is the World's Largest Surf Shop and is Ron Jon’s "One of a Kind" flagship facility.  The best part: it's open 24 hours a day!  Not only can you buy your favorite beach essentials, but they rent them too.  
 

Golf 'n Gator Mini Golf
Golf 'n Gator is a 36 hole mini golf course.  The kids had so much fun competing against each other.  (The hubby & I also had our own competition.)  Not only did they practice their putting skills, but they were vying for the coveted "hole in one."  Golf 'n Gator also has live alligators that you can feed and pose with.  Yeah, I skipped that part!
 

Kennedy Space Center

Well, this goes without saying.  Kennedy Space Center is NASA's launch headquarters and the only place on Earth where you can tour launch areas, meet a veteran astronaut, see giant rockets, train in spaceflight simulators, and even view a launch.  Now there's a new Angry Birds Space play area where kids can create their own Angry Bird, shoot pigs using a lifesized slingshot, and even make it through a laser maze.
 

Cocoa Beach Pier

This historic Cocoa Beach Pier was built in 1962 and stands 800ft. above the ocean.  It has 5 restaurants, 4 bars, and a gift shop.  You can rent fishing equipment and catch the varied fish in the ocean.  We actually saw a group catch a baby hammerhead shark...the boys were AMAZED! 







We had a great time visiting a new spot in our Sunshine State!  Have you ever traveled to Cocoa Beach?  Do you have any recommendations for the next time we visit?

  Alexis

Exploring Florida in a Ford Explorer

Wow.  That's all I can say.  WOW! 

Have you taken a look at Ford lately?  If you haven't, you should.  The new fleet of Explorers are to die for!

I was recently given the chance to drive the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport Edition to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  What a great SUV!  It was so "space-ious" and comfortable for my family. 

First off, the Explorer Sport is "powered by a 3.5L EcoBoost^® V6 Direct fuel injection and twin turbochargers.  And it has instantaneous low-end torque responsiveness with virtually no turbo lag."  I am no car enthusiast, and I have absolutely no idea what that means, but that car can ZOOM!  I barely touched the pedal and we "blasted off!"

Room enough for 7 (& all my stuff!)

The Explorer Sport has everything I would need in an SUV.  It comes standard with 3 rows of seating for up to 7 adults.  I've found with some SUVs in this category that when your 3rd row is up for seating, you lose trunk space.  That was not the case with the Explorer Sport.  There was PLENTY of room in the trunk for all that I needed to lug around on a daily basis.  I don't have a stroller, but I honestly feel that one would fit in perfectly even with the back row in the upright position.  The 3rd row also folded down completely to create the allusion of a truck. 

Check out the technology!

Did I mention it was fully loaded with all the "bells & whistles"?  Awesomeness!  The Explorer Sport comes standard with the Driver Connect package.  That gives you SYNC^® with MyFord Touch^® driver-connect technology.  I was able to use voice commands to make phone calls, choose music and more!  (My husband's Ford F-150 truck has it....I have technology envy!)  

In the front console there was a media hub with two USB ports, SD card reader and video input jacks.  Just perfect for the tech savvy family on the run!  There were also many other AV jacks and an actual outlet to be used with standard plugs (handy for those extra electrical devices that you may have).


The kids thought the Ford Explorer Sport was "sweet" and the "coolest car ever!"  I loved how, even though it's considered a midsize SUV, I didn't feel like I was driving a truck...it handled like a luxury car.  

At the pump:
16 mpg city
22 mpg hwy

If you're looking for a midsize SUV, consider the Ford Explorer Sport if you also like:

• Chevy Traverse
• Toyota Highlander
• Honda Pilot     
• Jeep Grand Cherokee

 

I was loaned the Ford Explorer Sport with a full tank of gas to facilitate this review.  All other costs associated with visiting Cocoa Beach were personally paid for.  All opinions are my own. No compensation was received for this post.

Alexis

Our Favorite Time to Visit Disney

My family loves going to Disney World!  What's not to love?  It is honestly the happiest place on earth!  Everyone is so friendly and everything is so clean.  I haven't even mentioned the rides!

My family goes to Disney no less than 2 times a year.  I mean after all, we only live 4 hours away! 

Since we go so often, we have learned the best times to visit.  Check it out!




 
When is your favorite time to visit Disney World?



**Disclaimer:  Although I was compensated to film a short video about traveling to Disney World, all opinions are completely my own.**


Alexis

To Travel or Not To Travel? That is The Question.

I love traveling.  Although I hate to fly, I love going to new places.  I love the feeling of being away from my normal routine.


Unfortunately, traveling with a family of four is rather pricey.   Even with deals, we can't find tickets for under $1,000!  Ridiculous!


We don't fly often.  As a matter of fact, we only flew as a family for the first time last summer.  But we want to get away to other places rather than Disney World (which is only 4 hours away from us).  


Little Ricky has been asking to see snow.  He wants to feel it, play in it, and go sledding.  We have family in Boston.  So what better way to travel than to a place where we know someone?   I keep trying to convince my husband that we should go for a few days during Spring Break.  He feels guilty spending the money.  

I tutor on the side.  I feel like this is "fun" money.  I don't put it into our account and we don't rely on it to survive.  Why can't we use it to fly to Boston?  


How do I convince my husband that this is a good idea?  What would you do? 

Alexis

Legoland Fun

My boys are Lego enthusiasts and couldn't wait to step into a world devoted to one of their favorite toys!  Therefore, this past weekend, we took a trip to the newly built Legoland Florida.  This vast amusement park is located in Winter Haven, Florida, just 45 minutes outside of Orlando (ya know, the city where that really famous theme park is!!).


The park is mainly geared toward children 12 and under...which was just fine by me!  Sometimes teenagers tend to run the little guys over. 

                

"Little Ricky" and "The Nag" were just the right height to ride all of the rides and were even tall enough to do some completely solo!  "Little Ricky" is more of a daredevil and chooses the fast roller coasters, while "The Nag" needs more coaxing before going on what he likes to call "The big boy rides." 

Legoland had a great mix of all types of rides and play areas.  There were also many areas designated to children under 7.  This would have REALLY come in handy when my kids were younger.  These areas were well intermixed throughout the park so you didn't have to separate as much.

South Beach (Miami) made completely of Legos...girls in bikinis included!

Of course almost everything was made completely of Legos!  Sooo cool!  I really wish I had the creativity to come up with some of these designs!

Vegas baby, Vegas!

A Ford Explorer made out of Legos....and it was life sized.  WAY TOO COOL!

The kids had a BLAST! I really enjoyed myself as well.  The park wasn't overly huge and we were able to ride everything we wanted.  I do wish the park would stay open longer, though.  Right now the hours are only from 10am-6pm on weekends.  But I am sure that as the park grows in popularity, the hours will extend.


And any trip to Legoland wouldn't be complete without a chance to build with, you guessed it, LEGOS!

So the next time you are planning a trip to sunny Florida, plan to stop by Legoland.  It's a MUST SEE for everyone!



Alexis

LA Through a Child's Eyes

Los Angeles.  Some call it "La-la Land" others claim it's the town of "fruits and nuts."  I call it amazing!  Not only was the weather perfect...not a cloud in the sky...but it was 6 days of the best hair that I have ever had!  LOVE the dry weather...sure beats the 100% humidity here in Miami!

Now I've been to LA many times...had amazing meals at some of the world's best restaurants, shopped in trendy stores, and enjoyed the nightlife in packed bars and clubs.  But this trip was a little different...this trip was with my husband and two kids.  In my own eyes, I am that "cool and trendy mom" who can take my boys shopping and to outside cafes for cocktails, but my kids are the normal "I'm bored" kind of kids, so none of that will be happening!


Here is a list of some of the kids' favorite locations that kept their attention and still had something for the adults:

1)  The Annenberg Community Beach House at Santa Monica State Beach 
Located on the Pacific Coast Highway just north of The Santa Monica Pier, The Annenberg Community Beach House is a fun mix of ocean, sand, pool, and fitness (yes, I said it, fitness.  There is a fitness room that overlooks the pool and ocean...not that I used it!).  For just $24 for a family of four, we spent the whole day moving from the ocean to the pool and back again.  There is also the Back on the Beach Cafe that has an amazing menu for the adults and kids alike.
This was definitely an adventure that exhausted the whole family!

2)  Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
 I have to say, I was a little leery when entering this museum with two young boys.  I really thought that within minutes, they would be complaining, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the museum made the history and artifacts appealing to all ages.  The mammal displays were eye catching and allowed the kids to tell stories about the many animals.  The insect exhibit was understandably a "home run" with my boys.  The fossil remains of the many prehistoric dinosaurs and current animals were abundant and in my kids' words, "very cool."  The museum also incorporated a Discovery Center with many hands on exhibits for little hands.  The biggest hit was a dinosaur "puzzle" where you had to put the T-Rex bones in place to recreate the giant.

3)  El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood
I can honestly say, it will be VERY hard to go see a movie in a regular theater!  We took the boys to see Cars 2 in 3D at the El Capitan Theatre located on Hollywood Blvd.  This Disney owned theater provided an old school feel with a modern twist...VIP passes!  Let me tell you, this is the ONLY way to see a movie.  For an extra expense, we had reserved seats in a sold out theater, walked up to a VIP concession stand and were each handed a Cars bucket filled with popcorn and a drink of our choice (even after our ice cream sundaes and milkshakes that we had at Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store located next door to the theater).  For this particular showing, there was an added Cars 2 World Grand Prix outdoor attraction behind the theater.  It was a mini amusement park dedicated to the adorable movie.
Like I said, it's going to be very hard to go see a movie in a regular theater!

4)  Disneyland
What trip to the west coast would be complete without a visit to Disneyland?!  This is the ultimate kids' attraction spot...not to mention my kids are now able to compare the two major Disney parks.  Although I was not present for this trip (my husband and I took a mini vacation to Vegas for an adults only getaway...but that's another post altogether!), my kids were so excited to share with me their favorite parts of California's rendition of their favorite theme park.  Despite the heat and long lines, the boys came home raving about such classics as Space Mountain and The Haunted Mansion, as well as the new The Little Mermaid-Ariel's Undersea Adventure in Disney California Adventure Park.  My sister, the rookie babysitter, did an awesome job at exhausting the little buggers!

5)  The Original Farmers Market and The Grove
The Farmers Market is an eclectic place full of every type of food imaginable...my favorite!  The kids were able to get pizza and hot dogs, while we ate award winning Mexican food.  And I can't leave out the beignets!  Although I couldn't shop in the abundant mall in The Grove due to my husband's presence, the kids took a train ride around the vast mall.  A definite must visit!

So, the next time you're in LA with your kids...or on an adults only trip...check out some of these amazing locations.  Not to mention, they will all help to exhaust your kids and leave you happy!