My Road Less Traveled By

I never knew there were so many Things to do in New Jersey. If we didn’t already go to Arizona this year, we sure would have a lot of fun at the Wildwood events and the new jersey water parks.

There are going to be Magic Mondays (July 7th, 14th, and 21st). On the Morey’s Piers, Radio Disney’s musical artists will appear. These free concerts (yes, I said free!) will take place next to the Giant Ferris wheel at 1 pm and 4 pm. The Series Finale will be July 26th (which is a Saturday) at the Wildwoods Convention Center Oceanfront Area. Plan on seeing stars such as Raven-Symone and Mitchell Musso there. If you do get tickets for the concert, make sure you get the savings that are also offered with it. On July 26th and 27th, show your summer concert series finale ticket at guest services, and you will get $10 off an all day waterpark ticket for Raging Waters or Ocean Oasis, or $10 off an amusement pier wristband, or $15 off a one day splash and ride combination ticket. How can you go wrong?

If you are in New Jersey in July, make sure you check all the cool happenings that are going on!

I never knew there were so many Things to do in New Jersey. If we didn’t already go to Arizona this year, we sure would have a lot of fun at the Wildwood events and the new jersey water parks.

There are going to be Magic Mondays (July 7th, 14th, and 21st). On the Morey’s Piers, Radio Disney’s musical artists will appear. These free concerts (yes, I said free!) will take place next to the Giant Ferris wheel at 1 pm and 4 pm. The Series Finale will be July 26th (which is a Saturday) at the Wildwoods Convention Center Oceanfront Area. Plan on seeing stars such as Raven-Symone and Mitchell Musso there. If you do get tickets for the concert, make sure you get the savings that are also offered with it. On July 26th and 27th, show your summer concert series finale ticket at guest services, and you will get $10 off an all day waterpark ticket for Raging Waters or Ocean Oasis, or $10 off an amusement pier wristband, or $15 off a one day splash and ride combination ticket. How can you go wrong?

If you are in New Jersey in July, make sure you check all the cool happenings that are going on!

If you are looking for the places to go for awesome wedding pictures here in Chicago, look no further.  Here’s the top ten list from professional photographers in this area:

1.  Adler Planetarium — The grounds are especially popular due to the postcard perfect skyline.

2.  The Bean — The Millennium park sculpture is very popular.

3.  Buckingham Fountain — This is a fountain complete with Beaux Arts style landscaping.  It also has a lakefront location.

4.  The 400 Block of North Michigan Avenue — You are able to get pictures at North Michigan Avenue, the Wrigley Building, and the Chicago River right here.

5.  Lincoln Park Lagoon — This is just south of the zoo.  It has a bridge with skyline views.

6.  Lasalle and Adams Streets — The Chicago Board of Trade is right there and makes a great backdrop.

7.  Chicago Botanic Garden

8.  North Avenue Beach

9.  Rosemont Waterfall — Officially, it is known as Monument Park.

10.  Art Institute of Chicago — Both the landscaped gardens the bronze lions make for awesome pictures.

Even in you aren’t getting married, these places you should go check out anyway!

If you are looking for the places to go for awesome wedding pictures here in Chicago, look no further.  Here’s the top ten list from professional photographers in this area:

1.  Adler Planetarium — The grounds are especially popular due to the postcard perfect skyline.

2.  The Bean — The Millennium park sculpture is very popular.

3.  Buckingham Fountain — This is a fountain complete with Beaux Arts style landscaping.  It also has a lakefront location.

4.  The 400 Block of North Michigan Avenue — You are able to get pictures at North Michigan Avenue, the Wrigley Building, and the Chicago River right here.

5.  Lincoln Park Lagoon — This is just south of the zoo.  It has a bridge with skyline views.

6.  Lasalle and Adams Streets — The Chicago Board of Trade is right there and makes a great backdrop.

7.  Chicago Botanic Garden

8.  North Avenue Beach

9.  Rosemont Waterfall — Officially, it is known as Monument Park.

10.  Art Institute of Chicago — Both the landscaped gardens the bronze lions make for awesome pictures.

Even in you aren’t getting married, these places you should go check out anyway!

Bill and I are trying to decide where to take the kids this summer for vacation. With money being tight due to our basement remodeling project, it is really hard to decide where to go. We also have the other disadvantage that Will is only going to be one. There is not a lot of things that are going to hold both Madison (who is 4 years old) and his attention. He hates to be in the stroller too. One of the places that we were thinking about taking the kids is Wisconsin Dells. I know, its a tad pricey there. However, I think both kids would enjoy the water parks. Instead of going to all the travel sites like Orbitz or Expedia, I have been using Hotels Combined. They have the largest database available. Nothing is more annoying than having to look at 10 different travel sites just to find the best deal. As a mom with little ones, I don’t have time for that.

There are a couple of different things I am looking for in a hotel room. Now, if it is only Bill and myself, I don’t normally care. However, when the kids are with us, we need a lot more room. They need room to play and walk around. I also really like having wifi. I also do not like having to pay extra for it. I also like not having to look at the fine print of the hotels to make sure they have wifi. I like a site that allows me to search according to my parameters not theirs.

Now, I am checking out hotels that Hotels Combined gave me, and there is a ton of information to comb though. One of the hotels I was actually able to check out and get a way better price is the Great Wolf Lodge. This is one of the hotels we are seriously looking at. I was happily surprised to find out that the prices offered here are way less than go through their site. They list all the different prices that all the travel sites are offering, so you can pick which one you want to use. One you pick which place you want to go through, Hotels Combined directs you to their site so you can book. They definitely make it much easier and less time consuming to book your trip.

Bill and I are trying to decide where to take the kids this summer for vacation. With money being tight due to our basement remodeling project, it is really hard to decide where to go. We also have the other disadvantage that Will is only going to be one. There is not a lot of things that are going to hold both Madison (who is 4 years old) and his attention. He hates to be in the stroller too. One of the places that we were thinking about taking the kids is Wisconsin Dells. I know, its a tad pricey there. However, I think both kids would enjoy the water parks. Instead of going to all the travel sites like Orbitz or Expedia, I have been using Hotels Combined. They have the largest database available. Nothing is more annoying than having to look at 10 different travel sites just to find the best deal. As a mom with little ones, I don’t have time for that.

There are a couple of different things I am looking for in a hotel room. Now, if it is only Bill and myself, I don’t normally care. However, when the kids are with us, we need a lot more room. They need room to play and walk around. I also really like having wifi. I also do not like having to pay extra for it. I also like not having to look at the fine print of the hotels to make sure they have wifi. I like a site that allows me to search according to my parameters not theirs.

Now, I am checking out hotels that Hotels Combined gave me, and there is a ton of information to comb though. One of the hotels I was actually able to check out and get a way better price is the Great Wolf Lodge. This is one of the hotels we are seriously looking at. I was happily surprised to find out that the prices offered here are way less than go through their site. They list all the different prices that all the travel sites are offering, so you can pick which one you want to use. One you pick which place you want to go through, Hotels Combined directs you to their site so you can book. They definitely make it much easier and less time consuming to book your trip.

Since my inlaws have a Hilton Timeshare that we have used many times, I can with confidence say that the Hilton Head South Carolina would be a great place to visit. Hilton is known for their quality, and I am sure that Hilton Head meets those expectations. Hilton Head SC has a little something for everything here. Outdoor activities include boating tours, parasailing, tennis, golf, kayaking and even surfing. There are soccer fields, picnic tables, and even a roller skating/skate board park. They even have golf packages if you enjoy that sport. For someone with little children, I was happy to see that there are ice cream shops and family-friendly restaurants all over. For those of us who like to shop while the boys play, they have 3 malls. Two of them are outlet malls too! There is also a variety of family owned businesses, boutiques, and unique gift shops.

The units come with a lot of things that are great to have. They include washer/dryer, linens, bath towels, start-up supplies of dishwasher and laundry detergent, toilet paper and paper towels, fully equipped kitchen, iron and ironing board, and trash pickup and receptacles. I personally love having a washer/dryer unit. I get to pack less. When you are in your room at night, you are able to do laundry. I also don’t have to come home and have to do a zillion loads either! The other thing I love is the full kitchen. You can save a ton of money by heading to the grocery store and eating out of your room!

Since my inlaws have a Hilton Timeshare that we have used many times, I can with confidence say that the Hilton Head South Carolina would be a great place to visit. Hilton is known for their quality, and I am sure that Hilton Head meets those expectations. Hilton Head SC has a little something for everything here. Outdoor activities include boating tours, parasailing, tennis, golf, kayaking and even surfing. There are soccer fields, picnic tables, and even a roller skating/skate board park. They even have golf packages if you enjoy that sport. For someone with little children, I was happy to see that there are ice cream shops and family-friendly restaurants all over. For those of us who like to shop while the boys play, they have 3 malls. Two of them are outlet malls too! There is also a variety of family owned businesses, boutiques, and unique gift shops.

The units come with a lot of things that are great to have. They include washer/dryer, linens, bath towels, start-up supplies of dishwasher and laundry detergent, toilet paper and paper towels, fully equipped kitchen, iron and ironing board, and trash pickup and receptacles. I personally love having a washer/dryer unit. I get to pack less. When you are in your room at night, you are able to do laundry. I also don’t have to come home and have to do a zillion loads either! The other thing I love is the full kitchen. You can save a ton of money by heading to the grocery store and eating out of your room!

On vacation, you can always use a bike to get places. It saves on the environment (if I learned anything from Arizona, it is that we can take so many lessons from the west about saving our planet. There are just so many little things that the rest of us should be doing to help preserve the Earth). You can enjoy the scenery so much more when you are in it. As you can see in the post before this one, we enjoy Red Rock Crossing State Park so much more, because we got to emerge ourselves into it. As you are enjoying the scenery, you also are helping yourself by exercising. I know in Arizona, our car was about $250 to rent (and that was the cheap one). I would have much rather used some cruiser bikes to get around. Cheaper, better for the environment, and better for you — this almost seems like a no brainer, doesn’t it?

If you want to be styling, you can even get bikes like this from Cruiser Style:

I love how it looks like a chopper! That being said, there is style for everyone. You can get more styles than just this one. They have cruisers for men, women, and even children. Find one you like and enjoy!

On vacation, you can always use a bike to get places. It saves on the environment (if I learned anything from Arizona, it is that we can take so many lessons from the west about saving our planet. There are just so many little things that the rest of us should be doing to help preserve the Earth). You can enjoy the scenery so much more when you are in it. As you can see in the post before this one, we enjoy Red Rock Crossing State Park so much more, because we got to emerge ourselves into it. As you are enjoying the scenery, you also are helping yourself by exercising. I know in Arizona, our car was about $250 to rent (and that was the cheap one). I would have much rather used some cruiser bikes to get around. Cheaper, better for the environment, and better for you — this almost seems like a no brainer, doesn’t it?

If you want to be styling, you can even get bikes like this from Cruiser Style:

I love how it looks like a chopper! That being said, there is style for everyone. You can get more styles than just this one. They have cruisers for men, women, and even children. Find one you like and enjoy!

This is a State Park in Arizona, and it is awesome. Bill and I spent an entire morning hiking there. It was beautiful scenery and a nice cool morning. It was after the rain, so that is why everything looks wet. Most of the hiking we did there was off the beaten path, and it was great. Bill made a comment at one point that it was like being on Survivorman on the Discovery Channel. Here are our pictures from there. I know they make me want to go back!  Click here to see these pictures bigger.

This is a State Park in Arizona, and it is awesome. Bill and I spent an entire morning hiking there. It was beautiful scenery and a nice cool morning. It was after the rain, so that is why everything looks wet. Most of the hiking we did there was off the beaten path, and it was great. Bill made a comment at one point that it was like being on Survivorman on the Discovery Channel. Here are our pictures from there. I know they make me want to go back!  Click here to see these pictures bigger.

If you ever go to Sedona, Arizona, then the Sedona Summit Resort is for you. We just got back from spending a week there, and I highly recommend it. Be warned, this place is a timeshare (just so you know what you are getting into).

The first thing that impressed me was the phone call I got Wednesday night before we left. They made sure that we knew how to get there from the airport (which is a two hour drive) since there was construction on the normal way you would drive in. They also told me that we should book our tours early which I wish I would have listened to. The person who called me answered all my questions and took my request that we have a room with a view (I had read on Trip Advisor that you needed to request a view in advance to get it). When we got to the Sedona Summit Resort, we had driven two hours in rain. We were tired and a bit jet lagged. The front desk people were very nice, and we had to meet with the concierge to get our parking pass. She gave us some great choices for tours to take and places to eat. She was right on with everyplace she sent us. She also gave us an awesome map with everything highlighted that we would need to know (restaurant, scenic, and grocery).

Our room was awesome. We got a one bedroom suite which had plenty of space. We had a full kitchen :

A dining room:

Living Room:

Bedroom:

Bathroom:

This has been one of the nicest places I have stayed in. As for the view we asked for, this is what it looked like:

During the week, we received a paper in front of our door. We were also able to purchase a wireless connection in our rooms, or you could use their computers in the lobby. The lobby also had free wifi, so you could use it there with your laptop. When we finally booked our tours, the concierge desk was nothing but helpful.

Sedona is a beautiful place. This is the hotel you want to be staying in when you go there. Beautiful hotel, beautiful sights, what else could you want?

If you ever go to Sedona, Arizona, then the Sedona Summit Resort is for you. We just got back from spending a week there, and I highly recommend it. Be warned, this place is a timeshare (just so you know what you are getting into).

The first thing that impressed me was the phone call I got Wednesday night before we left. They made sure that we knew how to get there from the airport (which is a two hour drive) since there was construction on the normal way you would drive in. They also told me that we should book our tours early which I wish I would have listened to. The person who called me answered all my questions and took my request that we have a room with a view (I had read on Trip Advisor that you needed to request a view in advance to get it). When we got to the Sedona Summit Resort, we had driven two hours in rain. We were tired and a bit jet lagged. The front desk people were very nice, and we had to meet with the concierge to get our parking pass. She gave us some great choices for tours to take and places to eat. She was right on with everyplace she sent us. She also gave us an awesome map with everything highlighted that we would need to know (restaurant, scenic, and grocery).

Our room was awesome. We got a one bedroom suite which had plenty of space. We had a full kitchen :

A dining room:

Living Room:

Bedroom:

Bathroom:

This has been one of the nicest places I have stayed in. As for the view we asked for, this is what it looked like:

During the week, we received a paper in front of our door. We were also able to purchase a wireless connection in our rooms, or you could use their computers in the lobby. The lobby also had free wifi, so you could use it there with your laptop. When we finally booked our tours, the concierge desk was nothing but helpful.

Sedona is a beautiful place. This is the hotel you want to be staying in when you go there. Beautiful hotel, beautiful sights, what else could you want?