One of the best analogies I’ve read recently is that travel agencies are like the coffee shops of the industry and travel advisors are the baristas in the coffee shops. (I’m sure the analogy works for tea drinkers too!)

Coffee is an integral part of many of our lives, and we have our personal preferences as to what we love about our coffee. Some people are creatures of habit and prefer it the same each day. Yet, some are willing to try new flavours, new beans and different types. Some like it hot; some like it cold. Cream and sugar or plain black? There is no right or wrong way to enjoy your coffee.

Coffee is something you can make yourself at home, and it can be considerably cheaper. But do you feel the same joy with that cup of coffee like the one you received in a coffee shop, one that was handcrafted just for you and may even have your name on the cup so that it only belongs to you?

Think about why you visit your favourite coffee shop. Is it the cozy ambiance of the shop? The personalized service you receive? Maybe it’s the way you “feel” when you receive that steaming hot cup of coffee when handed to you with a friendly smile?

You walk into a coffee shop knowing you are probably going to pay more for a cup of coffee than making one at home. But you will happily pay more for a cup of coffee to save yourself the time and hassle of making it at home.

If the coffee is not to your liking, you can go back to the barista, and they will make you a new one. The barista may even have ideas to suggest to enhance your coffee tasting experience with new flavours or possibly new brewing techniques that you might not have known. Because, why would you? The baristas are the coffee experts to help customers with recommendations they feel would pique the customer’s interest. Or, if you are a regular customer in their shop, they innately know how you like your coffee so that you do not need to do a thing except enjoy your much-appreciated cup of coffee.

Enjoy your cup of coffee on this Saturday morning and think about how much value a travel advisor can bring to your next trip. Because when we are ready to emerge from self-isolation, we are going to appreciate and enjoy the luxuries of life again, whether it be a simple cup of coffee or the trip you have always wanted.

How to keep up with all the news these days? I honestly don’t know anymore. With this villain of a virus that has taken over the world, we are coping with uncertainty, boredom and social isolation in all our own ways.

I’ve been feeling the full range of emotions these last couple of weeks, from being worried, stressed, angry, fearful, grateful and bored. But mostly, I’m just sad. The tremendous feeling of loss is profound and all around.

First, it was the heartbreak of cancelling clients’ long awaited vacation plans and then worrying about making sure all clients were safe at home, back on Canadian soil. Then we moved to the trauma from the astronomical losses in the travel industry, first among the cruise ships, then the airlines, to tour operators, the massive layoffs announced and then us, the lowly travel advisor, caught in the crossfire right in between consumers and travel suppliers. We’ve all been working in overdrive and many have seen our personal and business losses severely impacted by this virus. I’ve just had some time to take a break from the chaos to breathe.
And then to hear that today (March 24) in Alberta is the highest single day increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, that the second death due to COVID-19 was confirmed, and that the deceased was living in a continuing care centre in our community where there is an outbreak among the staff and employees in the centre.

The sadness is real. Not unlike the grief process. If anything I have learned from grief, is that we need to acknowledge and allow the sadness to have its space. We will come out of this ok. We will all be ok. But it will take time. We need to give it time and do our part, by staying home, to allow our leaders and our healthcare providers to do what they know to be best.

I’m still focusing on my positives and being grateful for this solitude. I might be stuck in my head a bit more than usual but I have also realized I need to acknowledge the sadness among the joy as they are two sides of the same coin.
Because mental health is so important to cope through this challenge we are all facing, how are all of you doing? Drop me a quick check in so I know how you are doing? ❤️

Feels weird to write a blog post that at first glance, seems to go against everything that my blog is about!

Life is too short to stay home - I started the blog as a way to showcase some of my travel adventures and journey into the travel agent life. I wanted to take as much opportunity to explore fun travel experiences with my kids as much as I could.

Yet, now with the global COVID-19 pandemic crisis, we are all asked to the very opposite - to stay home. Because our very lives are 100% dependent on everyone staying home.

So what does that mean for everyone in the travel industry? Absolutely no more travelling. Borders are closed. Businesses are closed. Schools are closed. Communities are closed.

What is open? Our minds. Our hearts. And our loved ones. The very essence of our humanity is human connection. And this virus has done everything to stop us from connecting. So what do we do? We adapt. We create new communities (virtually for now) for the sake of humanity.

Now is not the time to be fighting or arguing. Now is the time that we should all be working together to fight this unknown villain, a virus that is bring out both sides of humanity and it is within our power to ensure that the good side will prevail.

As I’ve been hunkered down for over a week now, boredom and isolation are starting to set in. After the most tumultuous week in the sudden global disruption to the travel industry, a new reality is sinking in that this crisis is only the beginning. Without know when it will be safe for people to travel again, a sadness sets in. Not unlike the grief process, we acknowledge the sadness for the life we knew before this. Because when the climate changes to allow safe travel again, we know that the reality will be different. Not everyone is going to make it out alive. Not all airlines, travel suppliers and small businesses will survive.

But, I do believe that this time is necessary. This downtime that forces us to social distance from what we have known (and likely taken for granted) allows us to focus on what is most important, and to come out of this on the other side with a greater appreciation for the simple things in life again.

To appreciate family and friends.
To appreciate the value of human touch and togetherness again.
To appreciate the safety and security of our basic needs such as food and shelter. 
To allow us to take care of the most vulnerable in the the population.
To appreciate our front line workers who have not choice to do their jobs despite the risks to themselves and their families. 

This is our time to allow the goodness of humanity to shine through. Even small acts from each individual can make all the difference to another, and to save a person's life. It really is that simple. For now, temporarily, we are asked to stay home if we can. Flatten the curve. Simple acts can make a huge difference in preventing the spread of the virus. 

Everyone is doing their best with the best information they have at hand. And that information can change very quickly. This is the time for us to trust our leaders, trust that the authorities above us are doing the best they can for everyone. It is going to be a challenge for awhile. This is not going away anytime soon. We are in this for the long haul. But I do know that we come out on the other side so much stronger because of it. 

Stay cosy and stay safe! Sending you all socially distance virtual hugs. ❤️

It’s a new day and while it may seem like each morning this past week has been about assessing damage, I think a new calm is starting to set in as we hunker down and have a deeper understanding of the whole situation.


What we know already:
This affects everyone. But we are all in this together. The world is coming together to fight an unknown villain that we cannot see, hear or touch.
That things are going to get even more challenging before it can get better, and that it will take longer than we expect to come through.


But, that the kindness, compassion and generosity of people will shine through the dark times ahead. There is light at the end of the tunnel but it might be a much longer tunnel that we thought.

It’s a new reality we are faced with and we just need to adapt. This is the perfect time for us to focus on the important things, before we got distracted by everything else.


What is most important:
Family…
Friends….
Food….
Faith

(Fun and Fresh air are pretty close runner ups!)


Everything just looks different than what we have been used to but let’s get back to the basics and rebuild what know and love into a new reality that works for us all. We build new virtual communities, and relearn what we thought was important. We take care of the most vulnerable and appreciate our leaders, and our front line workers to help keep us calm, fed, and safe.

And when emerge from our extended hibernation, we will be ready to contribute to our community even stronger than before.

What’s your favourite “F” word?

Not going to lie, this has been the longest and most challenging week I've had to face. Unprecedented levels of stress with the outlook looking pretty long and bleak right now. We are in for touch times ahead here in Alberta with this global health crisis with COVID-19. It's not easy to get me this worries as I'm usually a very optimistic, positive and "glass is half full" kinda girl most of the time!
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And yes, I have faith in the greater good, that all is temporary and all will work out in the end and that what we know as our current reality may be very different when the dust settles.

I'm trying to stay positive, stay optimistic and focus on my blessings instead.
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We are all worried. I am worried, just like you. Just in one short week (or the longest week ever, depending on where you are viewing it from!), our whole world has been turned upside down like never before. And what we have known (and taken for granted) in our life has been removed (temporarily).

The luxury of travel, school and childcare, employment, access to our goods and services above our basic needs and of course, our health is all in question. Now with social distance measures required to help us ensure the most vulnerable in our population can be safe, our human need for social interaction has forced us to turn within.

In this continued time of uncertainty impacting the world, we need to remind ourselves to:

🤞Respect the decisions being made at this moment in time and that the decisions and direction can also change very quickly in this fluid and dynamic situation.

AND

🤞Have confidence and trust that the authorities above us from all levels and industries are making the best decisions they can to help us through this global crisis.

As worried as I am though, I also know this is temporary.

Breathe. It’s time to focus on simplicity.
To trust that all is out of our control, to allow us to trust in the greater good.
To have faith. To have faith in humanity and that the hard times ahead will force us to re-evaluate our own priorities, to bring us closer to each other by forcing us apart.

But we will come together in a way we are not used to. To individually and collectively make a difference. We must take care of each other in time of need. And we need each other now more than ever. But at the end of each day, we have each other.

Let’s not talk about yesterday. As we are so emotionally invested in what we do, it is challenging to stay abreast within a quickly changing situation. Cruises are starting to get cancelled. Upcoming trips are starting to get cancelled. Supplier term and conditions are starting to emerge for travellers who have affected travel plans but do not have travel insurance or trip cancellation insurance. Airlines are starting to change their schedules to accommodate a very quickly changing situation as the Canadian government starts to advise measures taken in response to COVID-19. 

I understand there are still a lot of questions, and lot of uncertainty with so many unexpected travel plans disrupted suddenly. Not all the details have been sorted out yet and there are more questions than there are answers because this is such a sudden and unprecedented situation that we have to assume that everyone is trying to do their best.

But, today is a new day. And another day to spend on hold for so many of us to find the answers for you, to rearrange plans for you as necessary

So please, wherever you go, whatever you do, thank you in advance for your patience and extending the grace to others as everyone on the front lines is trying to find answers and not all will be available yet.

Until then, I’m going to crank up the tunes, refine my playlist and am prepared for another long day in the trenches.

P.S. Please feel free to send wine my way…..😜
​(I may or may not have graduated to the whiskey yesterday to cope.)

Oh and Happy Friday the 13th! What else can we expect on this ominous day? 

Both Old Tucson and The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is perfect to experience on the same day as they are located about 10 minutes from each other. Bring lots of water ensure you are well hydrated. Walking outside in the hot sun, feeling the dry heat (even in January) is hot! Watching the stunt guys in full Western gear out in the sun made me appreciate what they do and cannot even imagine what it would be like in the hot desert sun during the summer!  


Pima Air Space Museum

From the Wild West or the desert, you can deep dive into airspace at the Pima Air Space Museum. The large air space museum is the third largest in the world and features over 350 historical aircraft ranging from commercial aircraft to ones of historical significance. Learn the history of flight and aviation as you explore the inside hangars and outdoor exhibits as well as the memorials dedicated to aircraft used in World War II. 

Aviation enthusiasts and World War II historians will appreciate the memorials with the information and history of air and spacecraft showcasing each of their important contributions to aviation history. 

Three different and unique experiences that are fun for all ages made our two days in Tucson fly by! The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum gave us first hand experience and background to the unique conditions of the desert and the plants, animals and reptiles that inhabit the desert. We walked back in time to the Wild Wild West of Old Tucson and experienced the Hollywood of the Desert! And the Pima Air Space Museum was truly an enjoyable and education experience into aviation history. 

Thank you to Visit Tucson, the tourism board that hosted us and helped me plan our trip with lots of great ideas to experience Tucson! Their website is the perfect place to start your trip planning and reaching out to a travel agent (like me!) will help you easily plan your trip! Let me know how I can help! 

And as you go through the canyon, we stop often to listen to fun facts, stories and tidbits about the history of the area, and the culture and beliefs of the Navajo. The guides are very knowledgable and patient, ensuring each guest stops for their opportunity to get the perfect photo at each opportunity. 

Driving up from Phoenix to Page made for an interesting road trip in January. As we drove north, our scenery changed from cactus-filled mountains, to snow covered flat lands including a drastic drop in temperature from the southwest desert sun. Cold temperatures fill the dark air in Page. The early sunset makes for dark skies and not ideal or safe for highway driving. And even in the morning, the temperature was below zero degrees, cool and brisk air, but as the sun came out, the it warmed up during the day.  ​

Having the opportunity to head to Page to see Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend was definitely a worthwhile experience to deviate from the Phoenix/Scottsdale and Tucson parts of our Arizona trip. Make sure you add this experience to your list if you are in the Arizona area, or in the Las Vegas area next time.  

Wondering what to do with kids in Las Vegas? Here are some ideas from our trip there last time!

With each trip I take, I try to make the experience as memorable as I can so that my kids will have unforgettable memories of our travel adventures. Let me know how I can help you plan and book your trip so that you can create unforgettable memories in your own travels! 

“Trump is sooo cute!”

Followed by squeals of delight and giggles abound.

That’s not something you hear very often, but only in a large field in Arizona, with more than 100 participants taking part in a yoga class surrounded by goats, Trump was definitely a popular one! But there was no shortage of goats around grazing the field looking for attention and cuddles, and there were plenty of us willing to share.

It’s not your traditional yoga class experience, but the connection to your sense of zen and overall joy is just as therapeutic. The goats have that power.

So yes, there is a little bit of yoga, but mostly there is a lot of laughter and giggles all around (and plenty of goat selfies!)

While the goats get most of the attention, there are also alpacas that are there for hugs and snuggles too! They graze aimlessly waiting for you to give them a little love.

Because who doesn't love their cute little faces??!! 
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A few things to know:

Purchase your tickets online in advance to ensure you have a spot in the class. The class schedule is posted on their website one month in advance though they do run year-round. Cost is $15 USD in advance or $20 USD at the door.

Bring your own mat or towel. Or can rent one from them for $5 USD.

Gassy goats. You’ll know it if you pick them up to snuggle. Goats do poo. But that’s why the class is in a large field. Will they poo on you? Maybe...but as a mom, poo is poo...we’ve seen worse than goat poo, right? Not a dealbreaker for participation in my mind!

Take lots of photos! They sometimes have a photographer at the class to take pictures of the class but you are encouraged to take your own without concerns of disruption to the class. It’s what most of the class is doing anyway...

Arizona Goat Yoga is a fun activity for all ages, including kids, as long as they are comfortable around animals. It’s a super casual, super chill yoga class that is really all about the goats. There is something incredibly therapeutic when you are surrounded by goats and alpacas, and you leave the class with the same elation after a traditional yoga class.

If you're visiting Phoenix, I highly recommend fitting in a goat yoga class if you can....just because! Let me know how I can help you plan and book your upcoming vacation to Phoenix and/or Arizona! 

What came out of all the jumbled thoughts in my head was the idea to be very specific, and to just focus on one thing. That one thing was Disneyland, the place that started it all. The idea that came from one man, Walt Disney, and his vision to what it is today. It's a pretty cool and inspiring story that I want people to know just a bit that goes on behind the magic. 

So I present you with "I'll Never Grow Up! The Bare Necessities of Planning Your Disneyland Vacation". It's everything you need to know before you visit Disneyland! 

It's available for purchase directly from me (where I can personally deliver it and give you free hugs) or mail it to you. It's also available for purchase online at select retailers (only Amazon for the current moment). Check out my book page or here for more details. 

After months of writing, editing, formatting and all the things that go on behind the scenes of the book writing and book production process, it is such an amazing feeling having it all come together into a real life book! 

​My kids were a bit disappointed that I didn't include a little dedication to them at the beginning of the book.

Um....."What??!! I dedicate my whole life to you!" was my response. 

To be honest, I decided purposely not to dedicate the book to them or anyone else. Why?? Because the book is about you, the reader, and what you need to know before your trip. I didn't want it to be about me. But if I were to dedicate a book to them, then I would dedicate the book (and everything in my life) to them because they are the most important people in my life and I'm pretty sure they know that on a daily basis already! And plus, I would also dedicate it to my mom and dad, who dedicated their lives the same way to their kids and inspired a love of travel in all of us. I wish my mom was here to share in the joy of all this and our magical trips together. And I hope that she knows how much of an influence she is in my life even though she is not here. And always, my dad taught me to be a hard working individual, to be able to take the trips we want to and not give up on travel opportunities when they arise! 

One of the things I had always wanted to do was to write a book. And when it came time to finally commit to writing, it was a goal I needed to set for myself to accomplish. And now, I can proudly say that I have.  I'm happy to be in a place where I can say, "I wrote a book!" "I'm an author!"

How weird is that??! It still feels weird. But good. It feels good to be completed. 

And then I can started on the next one! Walt Disney World?? Disney Cruise? Universal Studios?? So many great places to write about....which one next??! 

If you choose to read the book, I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think! Should you feel inclined to leave a review, I would love to know your feedback! 
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And if by chance you are inspired to visit Disneyland after reading the book, reach out to me and let me help you plan it! I would love the opportunity to help you book your travel plans! 

Happy Reading! 

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A most magical Disneyland vacation starts with your onsite stay at one of the three Disney Resort Hotels to choose from! While you can choose to stay at Disney's Paradise Pier for the onsite benefits, many clients find it really comes down to a stay at the classic Disneyland Hotel or the luxurious Grand Californian Hotel. Having stayed at the Disneyland Hotel before during our last trip (and I LOVED it!), I decided it was an important to have experience both to be able to compare the differences between to the two and to experience Disneyland with the most magical vacation to date!

As another school year comes to a close, we started our summer vacation off with a bang! We spent a week in Anaheim, flying into Orange County, Anaheim arriving at John Wayne Airport (SNA) for the first time (as we usually fly into LAX). I was pleasantly surprised at the overall pleasant airport experience. The smaller airport is much easier to navigate through and the arrival was quick and straightforward. WestJet is the only Canadian airlines that flies into John Wayne Airport (SNA) from Vancouver so it is easy to connect with WestJet from other cities.  

We took an Uber from the airport to our hotel, the Disneyland Hotel and the ride was only about 25 minutes. Because it was Sunday, there was minimal traffic on the roads and it was more affordable than taking a shuttle from the airport. And then when we arrived......the magic begins! 

DISNEYLAND HOTEL

The rooms at the Disneyland Hotel are whimsical, fantastical and welcomes you with the magical essence that fills the air. First you notice the headboard and squeal with delight when you see the castle and fireworks as they light up and play a little lullaby "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes". 

The rooms are delightful with magical touches everywhere, offering a view of the Disneyland Hotel pool area. 

The hotel is comprised of three towers - Frontier Tower, Adventureland Tower and the Fantasyland Tower, nods to the original lands of Disneyland when it opened in 1955. The Frontier Tower is the main building that includes the lobby and gift shops.

As you stroll through the hotel, the walls are adorned with history and provide a glimpse into the classic years of Disneyland. 

And just outside the hotel is the beautiful Rose Garden area perfect for weddings, private parties and gatherings. 

GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL & SPA

After a few nights at the Disneyland Hotel, we headed over to Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, an uber luxurious and embodiment of California coziness. As you enter the lobby, the "grandness" of the space invites you in a warm and intimate setting, oozing sophisticated comfort. 

Being the closest Disney Hotel to the parks, the location cannot be beat! The convenience and proximity to the parks is a perk that is worth its weight in gold! 

Head towards the Downtown Disney District and it is less than 10 minutes to walk to the entrance of the parks. Head out the private entrance into California Adventure and you could be in the queue to Grizzly River Run in less than 10 minutes. Got wet afterward the ride?? Head back to your room for a quick change of clothes and be back in the park in 15 minutes. Being this close to the park, having the early morning access where there are virtually no lines in the morning makes the premium price worth the convenience! We could easily take breaks throughout the day and go back and forth as needed. 

But you can't stay at the Grand Californian and not take the time to enjoy the resort as well!

The pool loungers have got to be one of the most comfortable and most luxurious pool loungers I've ever enjoyed! This is the kind of comfort in the sun I can live with! 

Much of the hotel has undergone a renovation in 2017, redesigning all guest rooms, refreshed the lobby, pool area and concierge-level lounge. 

The new pool lounge, Craftsman Bar, just happened to be having its soft opening during our stay so we took the opportunity to check it out for dinner. This is not your average poolside lounge! The ambiance was cozy providing an intimate setting with great views of the pool. Food and drinks were artisanal and the menu includes a large selection of poolside favourites (nachos, sliders, pizza) to new favourites such as ahi tuna wraps and delectable desserts (we had to try them all)!

Overall, we enjoyed the food and the atmosphere although it felt much more upscale for a poolside lounge! 

Staying onsite at the Disney Resort Hotels was an absolute treat and made our overall Disney vacation so much more magical! We were completely immersed in the experience and could take advantage of all the benefits that came with a Disney hotel stay, including mobile ordering and the early magic morning access as just a couple of my favourites! 

All three of the Disney Hotels are priced as deluxe hotels because of the limited availability of the Disney hotels. And choosing which one to stay at has always been the toughest choice! I love the classic and nostalgic charm of the Disneyland Hotel, but the cozy and sophistication of the Grand Californian and its proximity to the parks is a benefit that is unmatched!! 

You may have noticed I have only discussed the Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian Hotel but there is also a third Disney hotel option - Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel. ​It is the the entry level Disney hotel option to consider for an onsite Disney stay at Disneyland to take advantage of all the benefits of staying onsite. It's a smaller property that books up quickly because of the affordability (when compared to the other two Disney hotels) and not as many rooms available to choose from.

For the difference in cost though, I generally recommend spending the extra money to stay at either the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian. 

Why?
- Paradise Pier is located the furthest away from the parks. You do have to walk up towards the Disneyland Hotel, and then through Downtown Disney to get to the park entrance. It can be about a 15 - 20 minute walk (not including the time it will take to get through security to get into Downtown Disney) so it you have young kids, it can be quite the trek, especially after long park days when you've already walked a lot! 

- Also, while they do have a sit down restaurant, PCH Grill, and it has a character dining experience, there is no quick service restaurant option at the hotel. Sometimes you just need a quick bite or something to eat quickly and not having a quick service restaurant at the hotel or even close by can be a huge inconvenience! 

However, I'm sure it is can be a great option for some people! I will just have to wait until our next visit for the chance to stay here so I can provide a bit more personal experience at this hotel. We did enjoy the 4th of July Fireworks show from the third floor pool patio area (which is open to and accessible by all Disney hotel guests), which looks to be a great place to hang out and relax! 


There is always something for everyone at Disneyland and choosing your hotel stay is the same. Let me know if you have any questions or would like any assistance in planning your trip to Disney! I would love the opportunity to help you make it as magical as it can be! ​

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On our recent Disneyland vacation, we just happened to be in Disneyland to celebrate not just one, but rather two nation celebrations! As proud Canadians, we walked through Disneyland on July 1 for Canada Day, sharing our love and support for our home country bringing in a bit of Canadiana to Disneyland wherever we went. And for the most part, everyone we came in contact with had nothing but kind words for us Canadians! 

But the Fourth of July in the USA is something else and being in Disneyland for such a patriotic day is a lot of fun! Walt Disney himself was a true patriotic American and is the epitome of the classic "American Dream". His rags to riches success story includes incredible personal risk and loss, unwavering faith in his passion and daring to dream in creating the impossible. 

His ideals of the American Dream was inspired by the Abraham Lincoln and even as a child, his admiration for the President helped shape his worldview of how he saw his great country. You will see his inspiration for the attractions such as "Great Moments with Mr Lincoln" in Disneyland and The Great Hall of Presidents in EPCOT at Walt Disney World in Florida. He was adamant to offer significant discounts to military families to enjoy the parks in appreciation of their continued sacrifice, dedication and efforts to protect the country. 

When Walt Disney was young, his older brother Roy enlisted in the Army for World War I. As much as Walt wanted to enlist to help support his country, he was not old enough to join. He falsified documents to join a volunteer group with the American Ambulance Corps (with the Red Cross) to become an ambulance driver in France during the war. He continued to support the war efforts through Walt Disney Studios however he could and his legacy continues to honour the patriotism and inspiration of the American Dream.  ​

The stars and stripes, the red white and blue colours adorn the parks to enliven the patriotism inherent in the day. 

We started our day earlier to make sure we could take advantage of early morning crowds and experience as many rides and attractions as we could in the morning before the crowds started to convene. The park was busy as the day went on, but it was not unlike any other busy season in the parks (Christmas, Easter, Spring Break, etc...) We were able to go back and forth between the two parks and our hotel as we did take a break during the afternoon during the peak crowds and heat of the day. 

As it got busier in the afternoon, there were people scoping out spots for the fireworks in the evening. The fireworks show, "Disney's Celebrate America! - A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky" is a nighttime spectacular show once a year on July 4. The fireworks show embodies a start spangled spirit with patriotic songs as the sky is lit with the red, white and blue colours of America.  

Along with fun patriotic touches in the parks, there are numerous smaller events happening throughout the resort to celebrate the Fourth of July with unique foods and dining experiences, BBQs and merchandise. Over at Disney's Paradise Pier, they held a BBQ event on the third party pool patio with traditional American BBQ fare, entertainment and an exclusive view of the fireworks from the pool patio with the music piped in from the show. 

All guests staying at a Disney Hotel is eligible to watch the fireworks from the pool patio at Paradise Pier so we took advantage of that benefit to experience the special Fourth of July fireworks show, without the mass crowds of Disneyland and trying to leave the parks afterwards! 
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And did I mention there were two earthquakes?? 

We just happened to be there when there were two earthquakes in Ridgecrest, California. The first one on July 4 hit M6.4 but we actually had no idea when it happened! We were standing in line to wait for our Mickey photo when the person behind us in line brought it up that we just experienced an earthquake! We had no idea what it was but there were many locals who knew right away what was happening. 

Then the next day, another earthquake happened in the same area in Ridgecrest hitting M7.1 and we definitely felt that one! We were on the second floor in Ballast Point Brewing Company in Downtown Disney having dinner chatting about the earthquake of the day before and then we felt the second one! The lights were shaking and you can feel the ground beneath us swaying and rolling. It almost felt like we were on a ride in Disneyland! We were asked to move away from the windows if it continued. But after a couple of minutes, it stopped and everything was back to normal again. ​

Celebrating the Fourth of July in the US is a great experience to celebrate their pride and love of their country. Not any more than we Canadians celebrate our great country on July 1 though! We just express ourselves differently but no less patriotic though! Being in Disneyland for the Fourth of July just adds to the experience of being in a place where the true spirit of the American Dream is evident and being in the presence of such pride is an honour that makes the experience so worthwhile. 

"Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America… with hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” Walt Disney 


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We started our summer vacation to a galaxy far far away to the planet, Batuu, a remote outpost planet on the edge of the galaxy in the Star Wars universe. The new land opened in Disneyland on May 31, 2019 and for the first three weeks of opening, reservations were required to enter the land. Since June 24, 2019, the land is now open to the public and no reservations are required, unless the land reaches crowd capacity levels where you will be then asked to join a "boarding group", a virtual queue that will tell you when you can enter the land and enjoy its experiences. 
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The Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the largest expansion plan to date that Disney has taken on since Cars Land opened in 2012, with the addition in both Disneyland California and one in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The one in Florida is expected to open on August 29, 2019. Both will be identical experiences in both parks so you do not need to worry about missing out. 

As you enter Batuu, you leave Disneyland behind and you are instantly transported to a new universe, set on the planet Batuu, located on the Outer Rim of the Galaxy, where smugglers, traders and citizens convene to stay out of the First Order’s attention. The setting of the story takes place in the Star Wars timeline after "The Last Jedi" but before "Rise of the Skywalker" and all the experiences are original for guests to enjoy as its own story. Storm Troopers roam the land keeping things in order, and you may see Rey, Chewie or Kylo Ren roaming around the land. There is no Disneyland here. The Cast Members are all citizens of Batuu and you are immersed in their story the minute you enter the land.

Look up, look down and look all around. There is so much to see and take in, so take your time to really soak in the atmosphere of what they have created here. Even non Star Wars fans will be able to appreciate the level of detail and immersive experience of this land.

Black Spire Outpost

Black Spire Outpost is the marketplace where merchants have set up shop for guests to pick up supplies and collect unique treasures from other planets in the galaxy. 

First Order Cargo area where the First Order has arrived in pursuit of the Resistance. You can browse the area and show your support for the First Order. 

There are several quick service restaurants to stop and enjoy some unique food items only found in the galaxy! Rondo's Roasters is where you can enjoy roasted meats cooked with a recycled pod-racing engine. Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo is the main quick service restaurant in the area. The Milk Stand perfect for a quick beverage stop and all the quick service restaurants are eligible for mobile ordering via the Disneyland app for convenience. 

Millenium Falcon: Smuggler's Run

As you walk around the land, you come up to the current highlight of the land....seeing the Millennium Falcon! It is a breathtaking sight to see it in person! 

It is one of two main attractions in the land, but the only one currently open. The second attraction, Rise of the Resistance, is expected to open December 5, 2019 in Walt Disney World (Disney fans will also recognize this date as Walt Disney's birthday!) and January 17, 2020 in Disneyland. As I'm sure it's every Star Wars fan's dream to fly the Millennium Falcon and "make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs", Smuggler's Run is your opportunity to do just that! 

The wait times for this ride were reasonable, being only 65 minutes for our first ride, and then 50 minutes for our second ride. Fast Passes are not available for the ride but it is an impressive queue to go through and worth the experience. As a part of the story, you become one of Hondo Ohnaka's crew to help collect precious coaxium, a rare form of hypermatter. Chewbacca has loaned the Millennium Falcon to Ohnaka for his less-than-legal missions in exchange for supplies for the Resistance. You board the ship in teams of six, as one of three positions - pilot, gunner or engineer and you work together as a team contributing to the overall success of your mission. The more successful you are, the longer the ride will be. 

The ride is a mix of a motion simulator ride with a video game arcade experience. There are two pilots in the front to help navigate the ship. The gunners in the second row can choose manual (more challenging) or automatic (perfect for beginners) firing against enemy tie fighters. The engineers in the third row are responsible for fixing the ship as required when she gets damaged. But really, all you have to do it push the buttons as they light up. :) 

It's a very exhilarating ride and I was initially concerned about motion sickness but this ride didn't bother me at all! The Star Tours ride in Tomorrowland makes me nauseous so I didn't know what to think about this one, but it was fine and a lot of fun! 

Below is a video of our ride if you are interested in seeing what the ride is like. But don't watch if you don't want to spoil it for yourself! 

Oga's Cantina

Oga's Cantina is a watering hole where the bounty hunters, smugglers and rogue travellers come together for drinks, enjoy music and "conduct meetings" and is the heart of Black Spire Outpost. It's a really neat experience and reservations are highly recommended. Enjoy unique menu items for both young and old, including alcoholic refreshments as the first and only place in Disneyland that you can purchase alcoholic beverages. The cantina is lively with entertainment courtesy of the droid DJ R-3X. 

Reservations are highly recommended for the experience. As of July 25, 2019, reservations can be made in the Disneyland app 14 days in advance. If the land is at capacity, a reservation at Oga's Cantina will ensure access to Galaxy's Edge. They are currently monitoring times for the experience so there is a 45 minute maximum time limit and two drink maximum during your experience. Most of the restaurant is standing room with a few lucky guests who are able to snag a table and chairs. 

Savi's Workshop

Another exclusive experience in Star Wars Galaxy's Edge where reservations are required is Savi's Workshop, where you can customize and build your very own lightsaber. You can make your reservation within the Disneyland app, 14 days in advance. The cost of a custom lightsaber starts at $200 and you can only bring two other guests in with you (in addition to the builder). Purchase of a lightsaber is required to enter Savi's workshop.  

Droid Depot

Visit the droid driven depot to assemble your very own droid, one of the galaxy's most indispensable sidekicks. You can choose from the R-series or BB-series models to build your own droid, based on the blueprint instructions provided to you. Each droid costs about $100 and you are permitted to bring in one other guest with you in help you build your droid companion. 

There are three entrances into Star Wars Galaxy's Edge - from Critter County, from Adventureland and Fantasyland. From Critter Country, the entrance will take you into the area where the Rise of the Resistance attraction will take place. Because that attraction is not open yet, there is not as much to see in that area. From Fantasyland, you will enter where the First Order Cargo area is located and the main entrance through the tunnel is from Adventureland. 

The area is spacious with the majority of the crowd collecting in the Millennium Falcon area. At night, it is also a great place to watch the fireworks! The downside is that you won't hear the music or see any of the projections of the show as the music does not fit with the theme of the land. Nonetheless, you can still enjoy the fireworks from the area. 

​Explore Batuu. Download the Disney Play app (different from the Disneyland app) for a most interactive experience as you explore Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. There are different challenges throughout the land and your success (and failures) add to your experience through the land. The citizens of Batuu will use the information to interact with you through the area. It provides a truly immersive experience that is unique and never boring! 

And when Rise of the Resistance attraction opens, it will be the flagship attraction of the land and promises to deliver an unmatched experience, putting guests in the middle of the battle between the First Order and the Resistance. I can't wait to see how that will all unfold! 

Wanna visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge?? Contact me now to see how we can book you your trip to Batuu...and explore the rest of Disneyland along the way! 

Let me know if you have ANY questions about Disneyland or Star Wars Galaxy's Edge! If you are interested in planning a trip, let me know how I can help! 

Contact me now if you would like a travel quote! I look forward to helping you plan your next Disneyland vacation!
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So, the Island of Hawaii inspires you to visit and you've decided that you want to go experience it all! The next stage in the planning process is where to stay on the beautiful island?? There is so much variety on the island and no shortage of places to stay. And part of our experience was to see some of the beautiful accommodations that you can stay for your trip.

SHERATON KONA RESORT & SPA at KEAUHOU BAY
The Sheraton Kona is a 4 star hotel in the Kona area providing gorgeous views of the Kona coast of the island. Located right next to the marina, it is within walking distance to snorkelling adventures and night time manta ray feeding excursions as well as close to Kona Village if you wanted to explore the area. 

This hotel is ideal for families and honeymooners in Kona. It is known for the iconic lava rocks that surround the property and the opportunity to view the manta ray feedings from the shore. The Rays on the Bay Restaurant is themed around the manta ray fish with the option to watch night feedings from the balcony overlooking the water. 

It holds the Haleo Luau at the resort, which we were able to enjoy during our trip. The gorgeous sunset setting is the perfect place to enjoy the luau. 

VOLCANO HOUSE
If you are visiting the Hawaii National Volanoes Park area, I would highly recommend moving to a location in the Hilo area for a couple of nights to explore the area and visit the park. The Hawaii National Volcanoes Park is the number #1 tourist attraction on the island, so it is definitely worth spending a few days in this area to explore the natural beauty of the Island of Hawaii. 

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to stay at Volcano House, right in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, overlooking Kilauea Caldera, with clear views of Halemaumau Crater. 
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WESTIN HAPUNA BEACH RESORT
Hapuna Beach is rated one of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii and the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort is beautiful beachfront resort in agreat location in the Waikoloa area. 

The Westin Hapuna recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation in June 2018 with a complete makeover of its lobby, guest rooms and pool area. The rebrand to the Westin aligns with the wellness and relaxation pillars that are evident with the Westin hotels. The upscale dining options and cuisine enhance the overall lush and relaxation experience you get when staying at this property. The rooms at 600 square feet are the largest hotel rooms available in the Kohala Coast area. 

It's a great hotel for families and honeymooners, with a gorgeous location to hold a destination wedding! 

MAUNA KEA BEACH HOTEL 

For families requiring more space or those looking for an upscale experience with culture and history, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel can meet those requirements! 

The ample cultural programs and kids activities onsite is what makes this hotel attractive to families. The Mauna Kea Discovery Center provides a great place for guests ot explore and learn about the history of Hawaii and the Mauna Kea Beach Resort. 

The hotel offers a variety of room sizes and configurations to meet different clientele, with a large section for golf enthusiasts. 

Unique to Mauna Kea is the Moonlight Manta Ray Tours, where you can enjoy a moonlight swim with the manta rays experience from the shores at the Mauna Kea! This activity is unique from other manta ray experiences is that you walk into the water from the shore, so it's safe and easy for those who are concerned about being in the water at night and easier for younger kids who want the experience! 

(We were supposed to have enjoyed this tour but the waters were too rough during our trip and our tour was cancelled. We were still able to learn all about the manta rays from our guide and it was a very educational and informative experience learning about these gentle giants!)
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HALI'I KAI AT WAIKOLOA
Condo rentals are very popular in Hawaii and Waikoloa is a great area for guests with a lot of amenities and accommodations options to suit a variety of travellers. Hali'i Kai offers great villa and condo options for families wanting extra space, without the hotel amenities with a large choice of one- to three-bedroom condos. 

FOUR SEASONS HUALALEI
You can never go wrong with a stay at any Four Seasons hotel! And the Four Seasons Hualalai is no different. Being the only five star, five diamond resort on the island, guests return time and time again for the intimate guest experience. Originally a village, the area was abandoned when the volcano erupted and the story and history of the place is embedded everywhere you go. 

Peace. The intimacy of the community feel and the customized guest experience is unparalleled. The amenities and activities available here are plentiful and unique, ranging from cooking and mixology classes, wellness experiences with a personal reflexology river journey, cultural activities and onsite marine experiences. 

FAIRMONT ORCHID
We ended our trip with a stay at the Fairmont Orchid, the perfect place to relax and end our adventurous week! Another beautiful resort, perfect for couples, honeymoons and weddings, the scenery is breathtakingly calm and serene, surrounded by lush greenery and the sound of trickling waterfalls. 
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Wherever you choose to stay on the island, the spirit of aloha is all around and each property welcomes you with the same warm hospitality of the Hawaiian people and culture. 

The Island of Hawaii is unique all to itself, continuing to evolve and grow. Make sure you take the time to explore all that the island offers on all corners to get the full island experience!  Need ideas?? Make sure you check out my other Hawaii posts, "Bucket List Adventures on the Island of Hawaii" and "Hidden Gems on the Island of Hawaii". 

Let me know how I can help you plan your trip to the island!
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So you've probably read about all the things that are unique to the Island of Hawaii and must do! But there are also a lot of fantastic little hidden gems that are just as awesome and wanted to share with you so you don't miss out on these as well. 
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Akatsuka Orchid Gardens 

Where else can you see and smell a chocolate orchid! Among other orchids, Akatsuka Orchid Gardens is where you will want to stop for a quick visit if you are in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park area! Take a stroll through their showroom for the largest variety of gorgeous and unique orchids all in one place! 

Big Island Candies

Around since 1977, Big Island Candies are known for their macadamia nut chocolate dipped shortbread cookies and the Hilo location is their flagship store and factory where you can catch a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes of cookie production! Their cookies are heavenly and make perfect gifts for people back home! 

The Coffee Shack

Blink and you will miss this gem! Driving along the highway in Captain Cook, it's easy to miss The Coffee Shack as it's just a small unassuming little place that you'd never guess what lies beyond its little doors. 

But if you take the time to stop, you'll be rewarded with some of the most amazing views of Kealakekua Bay, best known for the place where British explorer Captain James Cook first arrived in Hawaii, in the late 1700's.

The cafe serves homemade soup, sandwiches, pizzas specializing in local ingredients, and 100% Kona coffee. Portions are generous and food is fresh. It's the perfect place to stop for a lunch or even a quick coffee break to appreciate the gorgeous views!  

Ippy's Hawaiian BBQ
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Located in Queen's Marketplace, A Hawaii Resort Shopping Center in Waikoloa Beach, make sure you stop by Ippy's Hawaiian BBQ, a little food court gem for Hawaiian BBQ! Owned by local Hawaiian chef, Philip “Ippy” Aiona is also a Season 8 finalist on "Food Network Star", Ippy's Hawaiian BBQ is the perfect place for a quick sampling of his cuisine. On the other side of the road at the King's Shops, you can enjoy his sit down restaurant experience at Three Fat Pigs Restaurant & The Thirsty Wolf, a Restaurant and Gastropub by Chef Ippy Aiona. 

Pueo's Osteria 

For a truly "farm to table" foodie experience, Pueo's Osteria was an amazing dining experience for fresh seafood, locally sourced ingredients paired with authentic Italian imports, for an authentic Italian dinner in a fun environment. The restaurant is open later so it's a great place to go for drinks and dinner after dark, when so many places are closed. And judging by the walls of photos and celebrity visits, this award winning restaurant is a popular favourite among many! 

Farmers Markets 

Enjoy fresh brewed Kona coffee and enjoy the farmer's markets on Saturday morning to peruse through a community of local handmade goods, arts and crafts as well as the large number of food stands selling authentic Hawaiian food and snacks.  

The beauty of Hawaii is everywhere - through its experiences of the land. The Island of Hawaii may be known for its active volcano, black sand beaches, swimming with the manta rays and stargazing into the beautiful skies, there is also much to enjoy and appreciate in the simple activities and hidden gems sprinkled throughout the island. 

The Hawaiian culture is steeped in tradition, paying homage to the land that bears its fruits for all to enjoy. There is no need for "want" in Hawaii as the island has everything you need. Life is simple, and life is good. What else could a person want? The spirit of aloha is all around and the generosity and love the people of Hawaii share is aspirational for us to lead our daily lives with the same level of appreciation in all that we do, and all that we have. 

I think it's time we all started bringing in a little bit of aloha into our daily lives and enjoying the fruits of an aloha life! If you are planning a trip to Hawaii, make sure you reach out for assistance! I would love the opportunity to help you plan the most amazing trip to Hawaii! 

As one of the most aspirational destinations in North America, and with a 90% repeat traveller rate, almost everyone who travels to Hawaii falls in love with the islands and returns home with a calm sense of "aloha", inspiring you to live better, to live with love, kindness and generosity. 

I was fortunate enough to be invited to further my Hawaii Destination Specialist designation with an exclusive opportunity to attend an in destination Master Island Certification training experience to the Island of Hawaii, hosted by Hawaii Tourism Canada and the Island of Hawaii Visitor's Bureau. With this trip, we were able to experience the best of the Island of Hawaii offers, many of which are likely bucket list experiences so it was a huge privilege and opportunity for me to overcome many of my own fears! 

Since the eruption of the Kilauea volcano in May, the island has been forever changed in a way that people may not understand until you visit and see it for yourself. As the youngest of the Hawaiian islands, the island of Hawaii is still growing and changing because of the activity of the active volcanoes. 

Kilauea Volcano

A visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the number one tourist attraction to the island of Hawaii. But since the eruption of the volcano, the park was closed for safety reasons and only reopened to the public in November. Though some parts of the park remain closed, different areas are slowly reopening so guests can see up close the changes from the lava flow and volcano eruption.

We had the exclusive experience to view the Kilauea Caldera and the Halema'uma'u crater from different angles, and see the impact and changes since the eruption in May.  
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Volcano House Hotel, only reopened to the public last month and the restaurant just reopened for full service a week before our visit. The hotel is located in the Halema'uma'u Crater, with up close and personal views of the the crater. I have to admit that it is quite mesmerizing being there. It is a quiet and intimate lodge with a very cosy atmosphere. Where the glow used to be visible and constant, the sky has now changed to a darkness in the area. The food at the restaurant, both dinner and breakfast, were amazing fine dining cuisine options and high quality service. Our Volcano House experience is highly recommended and a great place to stay if you want to really explore the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. 

​Helicopter Ride 

The best way to view the landscape of the island is with a helicopter ride to see things from above. We enjoyed the helicopter ride with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. The Circle of Fire and Waterfalls Adventure gave us up close and personal views of the beautiful landscape of the island. 

​Hiking and Waterfalls 

Exploring the landscape in a private nature reserve, Hawaii Forest and Trail took us in an offroad adventure for us to experience the Kohala coast, enjoy a quick swim in the waterfalls, and completed with a private picnic with the most amazing views! 

​Snorkel Cruise

Exploring Kona coast with Fairwinds Cruise aboard the Hula Kai, gave us a luxury snorkel cruise experience with two snorkelling locations. The smaller ship moves faster in the water, which allowed us to go deeper along the South Kona coast. FairWinds offers several different boats, both for all ages, beginners to advanced snorkelers. They also offer snuba diving experiences (combination of snorkelling and scuba diving) for those looking for an entry dive experience without diving. 

And yay for me for conquering my fears here!

Yes, I did go snorkelling! Twice....in the ocean!! Because if you know me.....I know what you're thinking...."What??!!"

Shocking....I KNOW! Huge wins for me here on all those accounts. 

My previous attempts at snorkelling in the past did not go over very well so I wasn't initially very keen on the idea of snorkelling in the ocean. First of all, I'm not a very strong swimmer and have issues with treading water so I don't like the feeling of my feet not touching anything solid. Second, I'm much more of a pool person (because I can see the bottom, and also the edges of the pool are never too far away) rather that the vast ocean of nothingness. Swimming in the middle of the ocean has never been on my list of things "to do"! 

I also get motion sickness sometimes so the bobbing up and down in the ocean isn't something that sits well with me. And of course I allowed myself to enjoy the experience, to forget that I was in the water and just enjoy the moment for what it was. And it was beautiful! (We won't talk about the rest of the experience as the motion sickness malady did hit me for the rest of the excursion). But I was so proud of myself for doing it anyway in spite of my fears! 

Black Sand Beaches

Black sand beaches are a MUST to see when in Hawaii! The black sand is so different than other types of sand. Generally, the colour of the sand is based on the age of the beach. The lighter the colour, the older the beach. So you can imagine how old some of the gorgeous white sandy beaches might be!

But the black sand, created from volcanic and lava minerals creates this equally gorgeous sand that is shiny and feels amazing! Punalu'u Beach is the most famous black sand beach on the Island of Hawaii, but there are others you can enjoy. We were also fortunate enough to see 9 green sea turtles lounging around during our visit! 

White Sandy Beaches

Just as gorgeous as the black sand beaches is the white sandy beaches of Hapuna Beach, the largest and favourite beach on the island and consistently ranked as one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world! 
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Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park

The second most popular tourist attraction on the island (following the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park) is the Pu'uhonua o Honoaunau National Park, a place of refuge for ancient Hawaiians who broke the law, or for defeated warriors to visit and seek refuge in times of battle. Now you can wander around, enjoy the peace and serenity, and step back in time to honour the land. 

Kona Coffee

You can't NOT visit a coffee farm or something coffee related when visiting Kona! It's Kona coffee and it's one of the most expensive coffees in the world, as is cultivated in the North and South Districts of Kona on the Island of Hawaii. Be wary of the "Kona blends" coffee as these coffee blends contain only the minimum amount of Kona coffee (10%) with other coffee beans. 100% Kona coffee is a really treat and perfect for the coffee lovers. 

We visited the Ueshima Coffee Company to roast our very own Kona Coffee blend! 

We learned about the coffee beans, the roasting process and then had the opportunity to roast our own beans to package as a souvenir of the experience! 

Paniolo Life

Did you know that Hawaii has cowboys?? In fact, the paniolo (cowboy) culture is very strong in Hawaii and most people do not think about cowboys in Hawaii! Up in the town of Waimea is the famous Parker Ranch, one of the largest cattle ranches in America. We toured Anna Ranch Heritage Center, the former home of Anna Lindsay Perry-Fiske, the original Hawaiian Cowgirl & the First lady of Ranching whose legacy to the history and community of ranching helped shape paniolo life as it is today. 

The Island of Hawaii is also home to the largest hula competition in the world, the Merrie Monarch Festival, held each year in Hilo starting on Easter Sunday for one week. Three of those nights are the signature hula competitions, where teams from all over the world are invited to participate and compete. The Merrie Monarch Festival is held in honour of King David Kalakaua, whose love for music and the arts inspired the Hawaiian people to honour his legacy and commit to upholding traditional Hawaiian arts and culture. 

Over at the Four Season Hualalai, we were introduced to the hula and walked away with our own little hula dance! 

Luau - The Story of Haleo - The Voice of Life

A luau experience in Hawaii is the best way to experience Hawaiian culture, food and entertainment. And it doesn't matter if it is your first luau, or if you have been to one before, the experience is always entertaining! On our first full night in Hawaii, we enjoyed the Haleo Luau at the Sheraton Kona, with stories unique to the Keauhou Bay Area under a gorgeous Kona sunset. 

Nightlife
The nightlife in Hawaii is not your typical nightlife scene. When someone mentions nightlife in Hawaii, they are usually referring to one of two experiences: Stargazing or Night Snorkelling with the Manta Rays. 

Star Gazing 

​The Island of Hawaii is the best place in the world to watch the stars with or without a telescope. The location of the island provides dazzling views of the Northern Hemisphere skies and most of the Southern hemisphere skies. 

We had a land star gazing experience with Star Gaze Hawaii, where they brought the telescopes and the equipment to set up a private/semi-private small group tour to explain the night sky to us in detail. We alternated between two telescopes and were able to see comets, stars and constellations. It was a very educational and eye-opening experience to see the beautiful stars, from our hotel. 

Night Snorkelling with the Manta Rays

This was one of the other highly anticipated excursions of our trip, but sadly, the tides were very strong so the manta ray snorkelling tours were cancelled for safety reasons. We still attended the talk to learn more about the "gentle giants" of the ocean and watched them swim from land. The Manta Ray Moonlight Swim Experience is a bit different than other night snorkelling experiences in that this one is good for kids ages 10 and above, and starts from land. So anyone who has hesitation about swimming in the ocean....and in the dark (hands up here!) can put some anxiety to rest as the guests are walked into the water and swim a short distance where the manta rays come to you.

We'll just have to save that experience for next time! 

Hard to believe that we were able to experience all these bucket list experiences, as well as hidden gems of the island in our week! The Island of Hawaii truly has something for everyone and the spirit of aloha stays with you long after you leave. 

Aloha aku no, aloha mai no. I give my love to you, you give your love to me. 💞

Hawaii....you had me at aloha! I am so honoured and privileged to experience this week, to have the opportunity to continue my Hawaiian Destination specialty to become 1 of 7 Island of Hawaii Master Certified travel agents in Canada through Hawaii Tourism Canada and the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau.

Given the opportunity to visit Puerto Vallarta for just 48 hours, would you do it?? Of course! After enjoying a very relaxing and laid back visit in the summer at the Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort and Spa, it didn't take much to convince me to return for Air Canada Vacations MegaFam trip to Puerto Vallarta for 2 nights! 

​The Flight Experience 

Flying on the new aircraft, the Boeing Max 737, we were one of the first to experience the comforts of the new plane, including a select few who had the privilege to enjoy business class! So utterly spoiled! Meals were excellent, cabin was comfortable and cozy, flight experience was eerily quiet and gentle making it one of the smoothest flights I've experienced in a long time. 

Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa

Upon arrival at the Puerto Vallarta airport, we were whisked away to our hotel for the first night, the Grand Palladium Puerto Vallarta, who gave us a warm welcome. 

With its scenic views along the Banderas Bay, the five start resort offers a luxury full service resort experience perfect for families, couples getaways, including weddings with its onsite chapel. 

We began our day bright and early to tour several properties in the Puerto Vallarta area to get an idea of some of the most popular resorts to choose from, for a variety of different traveller types and budgets. 

Iberostar Playa Mita 
​The Iberostar Playa Mita is a five star luxury resort in the Riviera Nayarit area, offering stunning views of the Bay of Banderas. This quiet, secluded resort is ideal for families with older kids, couples and weddings and  perfect for travellers who are looking for a serene beach vacation, away from the hustle and bustle of town. 

The Grand Palladium Vallarta and the Iberostar Playa Mita are located in one the best areas for surfing in the Puerto Vallarta/Riviera Nayarit area. 

Dreams Villamagna Nuevo Vallarta 
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Another fantastic option for families, this oceanfront resort offers large spacious suites, with a fantastic location, close to Puerto Vallarta. Golf packages are also available with unlimited golf packages to two golf courses nearby. 

Canto del Sol & Villas Vallarta by Canto del Sol 

Close to Puerto Vallarta town, and only about 10 minutes from the airport, Canto del Sol provides a home away from home all inclusive experience. Studio suites, one and two bedroom suites are available making the resort perfect for larger families and groups. 

Hilton Puerto Vallarta 
The resort is the first all-inclusive resort for the Hilton brand of hotels. It offers beautiful views of Banderas Bay with a gorgeous beach. It is ideally located close to town, and offers something for everyone. 

The Hacienda at Hilton is the adults only section offering a cosy and intimate experience at the resort, with complimentary access to the Hilton facilities. 

Velas Vallarta 
For the most luxurious and blissful vacation, Velas Vallarta is the perfect choice for families, weddings and groups. The stunning grounds are meticulously groomed and maintained to provide a lush, green and gorgeous landscape. Velas Resorts are also known for their exceptional culinary experiences and 

Having visited Puerto Vallarta twice this year, it has quickly become a new favourite for me to recommend and book clients! The authentic Mexican feel and the laid back nature of the people making it a great vacation destination. We even had the chance to head down to the Malecon, to walk around and enjoy some drinks with a local Mexican band to experience the nightlife. We felt perfectly safe walking around town, taking a cab from our hotel and back. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Puerto Vallarta as a vacation destination for anyone and it's such a great option for families with its wide variety of activities available for all ages.

Let me know if you have any questions about Puerto Vallarta and would like a complimentary vacation quote! I would love to help you plan a vacation to Puerto Vallarta!  

Originally, we were just going to do Disney World. Our plans were to just visit Disney World, explore Toy Story Land and experience all the new stuff at Walt Disney World, and stuff we hadn't had the chance to do yet. We had already visited Universal Orlando two years ago and pretty much did everything we could during that trip, thinking we wouldn't be returning for a good long while. We even splurged to "Stay Onsite for Maximum Universal Experience"! 

But, Universal Orlando is a totally and completely different experience in its own right that we couldn't stay away! It wasn't in our original plans, but it was something we could squeeze in! So we decided to do a quick Universal Studios with our initial three days to maximize our time at Universal Orlando. 

Because we stayed onsite last time, I opted to choose an offsite hotel this time, so that I could compare against the onsite experience. I know exactly how expensive an Orlando vacation can be for a family, and as much as many would like to choose the onsite experience, many times it might not be in the budget to do so. And the price and options of offsite hotels are very attractive so I wanted to evaluate the offsite hotel experience this time. 

We stayed at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando, the offsite hotel located closest to the entrance of Universal Orlando Resort, a large and comfortable hotel, that is within walking distance to the parks. Other hotels in the area would be the Holiday Inn Express and the Hyatt Place Orlando. 

So While the hotel itself is a lovely hotel, with large spacious rooms, restaurants and heated pools with extended hours, being so close to the parks but not being "onsite" was actually more of a detriment than I realized as we just wanted to be "onsite" the whole time we were there. 

And while it is within walking distance to the parks.....it's about a 20 minute walk to the entrance....in August....in Florida heat and humidity. So you must be prepared for that.

Offsite shuttles - yes there are complimentary shuttles that take you to the park and they run each hour throughout the day (each hotel will have their own shuttle schedule). But are they convenient?? Not so much. At our hotel, we had to pre-book and pre-register for a shuttle everyday, by 7pm the night before. No biggie. We registered for our shuttle on the day of arrival for the next day. We arrived 15 minutes before the shuttle time and stood in line to get onto the bus. As the shuttle bus started to fill up, the bus was considered "full" with another family ahead of us in line so we were not permitted on this bus (even though we had pre-registered for this time). We were advised we had to either wait for the next bus (in one hour), our we could make alternate arrangements to get to the parks (Uber, Lyft, taxi or walk). 

We ended up walking because we didn't want to wait until the next bus. The other family had a stroller and young kids so they chose to use a ride-sharing service instead. 

And then we didn't end up using the offsite shuttle service at all because we were in the parks all day, and didn't return before 7pm each night to reserve our pick up times for the next day. So for us, the complimentary shuttles from the offsite hotel did not offer us any value or use during our trip. 

What's New in CityWalk? 

Voodoo Doughnuts - nothing like a sugary sweet delectable treat to start your morning! Originally started in Portland, Oregon, the Voodoo Doughnut craze has been extended beyond to locations at Universal Studios Hollywood in California, and at Universal Orlando in Florida! We had walked by the California location last time so we decided to actually stop in this time to see what the craze was all about! 

​Verdict: Best Donut ever!! 

Toothsome's Chocolate Emporium 

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen is another cool experience to check out! It wasn't open yet when we were there last time so another "must do" on this trip, offering specialty milkshakes, sundaes and other savory feasts.​

And of course there's a back story to the Emporium! 

All the delectable treats inside! 

And of course, not to miss out on their signature milkshakes and sundaes! There are many to choose from and soooo hard to pick one! 

And if you're lucky enough, you may even get a chance to catch a glimpse of Ms Penelope herself managing all the chocolate production treats happening in the emporium.

It was nice to stop and enjoy some treats in City Walk outside of the parks. Sometimes we get so focused on all the fun inside the parks, we forget to check out all the food, entertainment and shopping opportunities outside of the parks! 

Whether you decide to stay onsite or offsite at Universal Orlando, it is definitely a destination in itself, and worth experiencing as its own destination over a day trip from Disney World. Though it may not require as much planning as a Walt Disney World Vacation, there are still lots of little tips and tricks to navigate the parks, especially if you are a Harry Potter fan! Let me know how I can help you book and plan your Universal Orlando Resorts Vacation! 
​

Join your favourite Toy Story friends, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jess and the Green Army Patrol in the newly opened Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World! Through the blistering heat in August temperatures, we bravely slogged through the crowds to enjoy the new land to ride the new Slinky Dog Dash rollercoaster, Alien Swirlsaucers and fan favourite Toy Story Mania! 

Toy Story Land is a colourful and cheery land that is will delight fans of all ages. As you enter, you "shrink" down to the size of toys, play big in Andy's Toy Box and join the super size fun! All the rides are family-friendly and great for young kids so you can't escape the playful nature of the whole area. 

Slinky Dog Dash is a fun roller coaster ride with twists and turns that entertains you from the minute you start! It's not too fast, nor are there any scary drops so it's perfect for younger kids (and any of us who can't stomach the bigger coasters anyway!) ​

Alien Swirling Saucers is the other new ride in Toy Story Land where you twist and turn to escape "The Claw", inside the playset at Pizza Planet, from the original Toy Story movie. The ride is short, and doesn't spin as much as I thought so you can swing with the intergalatic beat, which ends much sooner than you realize.  

Toy Story Mania is always a family favourite and is now embedded in the heart of Toy Story Land.

​Throw on your 3D glasses to have a rootin' tootin' time as you swirl through the carnival midway games to compete against your partner and other riders!

As you finish one game, you will swing to the next and one complete with your favourite Toy Story friends cheering you along the way. 

Also new in Toy Story Land is Woody's Lunch Box, a new quick service eatery so you can enjoy some quick snacks while you play! We didn't check it out as the food options were not what we were looking for at the time but mobile ordering is available so you can always order from the Disney World app, and pick up at the mobile counter when you're ready to eat! Very handy and convenient! ​

Overall, Toy Story Land is a super fun land for all ages but I do see it becoming a favourite among younger kids as a huge addition to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Prior to Toy Story Land opening, the majority of young families would visit Hollywood Studios for some of the shows, but there wasn't as much for the younger families. Toy Story Land fills this space for younger kids and families in an area they are sure to enjoy. 

Let me know if you have any questions about Toy Story Land, or Disney World planning advice! I would love to help you and your family book your next vacation to Disney and maximize all the opportunities for fun! 

And thanks to the Palladium Hotel Group, my daughter and I were able to share in a special mother daughter girls only trip to Puerto Vallarta with a luxurious stay at the new Family Selection at Grand Palladium Vallarta Hotel and Spa. We connected with other like minded individuals and families who understand the importance of travelling with their kids, and making some amazing memories along the way. 

The Family Selection is a new exclusive club offered at Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts, and the first to open at Grand Palladium Vallarta Hotel and Spa in Riviera Nayarit beginning June 1, 2018. We were able to experience the VIP service and facilities of the Family Selection and the care and attention they paid especially to the kids (otherwise known as "Family Bosses").

Family Selection guests arrive and check in at the exclusive Family Selection Lounge with private check in.  Each Family Boss also receives a special welcome kit with items customized to the age and gender of the child. For families with more than one child, they try to mix up the items so siblings don't necessarily receive the same items. Our welcome kit included a Family Selection back pack, rash guard, Family Boss hat, water bottle, portable power bank and fidget spinner. In addition, kids also receive special bathrobes and slippers to use. 

Rooms are elegantly styled for maximum comfort. The Family Selection Junior Suites are spacious, with room to add a playpen for infants, if needed. Rooms include a king size bed or two full size beds, and a sofa bed pull out with memory foam mattress and can fit up to four guests (2 adults and 2 kids). There are exclusive L'occitane bath products for the adults, and mini toiletry items just for the kids. 

Nightly turn down service with special treats change daily, and kids are treated to a special hydromassage bath once per stay.


​Imagine our delight when we returned to our room
​after dinner to enjoy this! ​

Family Selection guests have access to an exclusive lounge, bars and restaurants, pool and private beach area as well as premium alcoholic beverages in the Family Selection areas, and in room amenities including access to a climate control wine bar, personalized minibar with treats for kids, and a coffee maker and Nespresso machine. 

While much attention is paid to the Family Bosses, just as much attention is paid to the parents to ensure they have a most stress free and relaxing vacation with their kids. For this reason, there is an exclusive restaurant, The Nest, only available for Family Selection guests where you can choose from all you can eat buffet options and a la carte dining options for breakfast, lunch and dinner (lobster included). Because we know kids can get hungry at all times during the day, there is 24 hour room service to ensure you will always have dining options available. 

You have access to concierge service with a Family Host who is available from 7:00am to 11:00pm for your needs to ensure you receive priority reservation in all restaurants. 

Free laundry service is also available (2 pieces per person) during your stay. 

To encourage Family Boss parents to really indulge, Family Selection guest/adults receive unlimited access to the hydrotherapy pools, hot tubs and steam room at Zentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness (normally a $30 USD per person per day cost), as well as 20% discount off of spa and beauty treatments. 

Choose from a menu of a wide variety of spa services including beauty services, hairstyling, body waxing, manicures and pedicures and facials, to massages and body scrubs and wraps. Romantic couple massages can be booked for a couples experience, or treat yourself to a Mommy and Me experience and book a "Little Princess" Package, where little girls can receive a mini massage, manicure and pedicure along side mom's spa treatment. (Princess Package can only be booked in conjunction with an existing spa treatment so it cannot be booked on its own).

The "Zentropia Massages" is their signature treatment where you are treated to six different deep tissue massage techniques in an 80 minute session leaving you completely blissful and zen. It was an AMAZING spa experience! 

There are four different treatment rooms, each representing the four elements - fire, water, earth and sun. The music, oils used and decor differs between each room to provide the experience that suits the element of the room. 

Exclusive activities are available for Family Selection guests including every girl's dream of becoming a mermaid! For "mermaid school", mermaid tails are provided to the kids and they can swim like a fish to their heart's content! 

Family yoga classes on the beach are perfect to start your day in gratitude surrounded by the beautiful scenery in the quiet hours of the morning.  

Other complimentary activities available at the resort range from paddle boarding, kayaking, surfing to relaxing in the saltwater pool. Tennis, basketball, and archery are other kid and teen friendly activities to enjoy. The beach is calm and the water is warm, with a small section of rocky beach, but otherwise perfectly safe and fun for the kids to enjoy the ocean. 

Kids Clubs at the resort include a Baby Club for kids ages 1 to 3 years and the Mini Club for kids ages 4 to 12. Tweens and teens have their their own club, Junior Club Black & White where they have their own space to hang out with other kids their age and enjoy a range of activities including trivia quizzes, archery, billiards, disco parties, karaoke, snorkelling and boogie boarding. The People of Palladium (POP) Team are fantastic in engaging with the kids and taking excellent care of them while in their care providing assurances to parents who can enjoy their own adult time without the kids around! 

Gastronomical adventures at the Grand Palladium include two buffet restaurants and four speciality restaurants (Mexican, Italian, American Steakhouse and Asian) as well beach BBQs and cooking lessons.

They have an excellent Allergy and Food Intolerance Program to ensure that families with special dietary needs and concerns are confident with their food choices during their vacation. We have food allergies/intolerances and dietary restrictions to manage so it's always a challenge to find appropriate places to eat. The Allergy and Food Intolerance Program is comprehensive covering ten different dietary concerns with Palladium Dietary Cards that guests can hand to the dining staff upon arrival any restaurant, and the maitre de, chef or food and beverage manager will come and review appropriate food choices. The Palladium Dietary Cards are colour coded to different dietary concerns so any language barriers are minimized as the staff are well aware of the dietary concerns for the right guest. I was extremely impressed with how easy it was to find appropriate food choices and all levels of dining staff were very knowledgeable about our food allergy concerns. 

Celiac - dark green
Type 2 Diabetes - light green
Nut allergy - brown
Fruit and vegetable allergy - red
Seafood allergy - purple
Fish allergy - blue
Egg allergy - orange
Dairy and lactose allergy - white
Sodium and glutamate allergy - pink

​The rest of the resort is lush and green, like a tropical rainforest and an intimate jungle with exotic animals. 

While the Family Selection has its own private pool, there is also a main pool area with slides and waterpark area to enjoy, and an adult only pool area with infinity views. 

Or there's always the beach....

And the sunsets in the evening to enjoy....

My Family Boss and I were treated like royalty during our stay and the exceptional attention to detail was evident in our accommodations, our dining experiences, and scheduled activities throughout the stay. The new friendships that were made through this trip are ones we won't forget.

Thanks to April, Brianna and Mario for putting together such a great itinerary, and for executing a most enjoyable stay at the Family Selection at Grand Palladium Vallarta Hotel & Spa! 

If you are interested in a complimentary quote for the Family Selection at Grand Palladium Vallarta Hotel & Spa for your next vacation, let me know!! I would love to help book you and your family to this place to experience this for yourself. Puerto Vallarta is a fantastic destination for families and this resort is the perfect place to treat yourself and your kids to ensure you have a most enjoyable and luxurious vacation! ​

Ah, Las Vegas.....what can I say??!! It is the place where so many people flock to for a quick getaway! Though mainly known for its reputation as "adult freedom" where "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas", many do not think or realize that Las Vegas has so many attractions and activities geared towards kids and families that are either free, or affordably priced! It was the perfect excuse for us to get away after the end of another school year, and start the celebration of our summer vacation this year! 

Here are some of the fun highlights of our quick getaway in Las Vegas perfect for kids and families! 

Paris Las Vegas 

We stayed at the Paris Las Vegas for a little bit of the Paris experience! It's centrally located on The Strip, so easy to access both north and south attractions along The Strip. With the Las Vegas Monorail Pass, the station at Bally's/Paris easily connects you to many other areas along The Strip so that you don't have to walk in this crazy heat! 

And the view from the pool is one of the best! It's a great view while enjoying the serenity away from The Strip. 

Eiffel Tower Experience

​And you can't stay at the Paris Las Vegas without enjoying the Eiffel Tower Experience! The Paris Las Vegas  Eiffel Tower replica is 460 feet high, just half the size of the name sake in Paris, France and you get to enjoy beautiful 360 views of The Strip. You can choose to do it in the daytime (great views of The Strip) or upgrade to the night experience (spectacular views!), which is often busier, but sooooo much more of an experience! See for yourself! 

MARVEL S.T.A.T.I.O.N

Do you think you have what it takes to become an Avenger?? WE DO!!  ​

As huge Marvel fans in this household, there is absolutely no way we could miss out on the Marvel S.T.A.T.I.O.N experience at Treasure Island! The Marvel S.T.A.T.I.O.N stands for the "Scientific Training and Tactical Intelligence Operative Network" and this interactive experience recruits and trains you to become a part of the Avengers team. You go through the exhibits to learn about the history of the Avengers team members and end with the ultimate battle against Ultron. At the end, you can choose to receive a special commemorative official Avengers ID photo card to confirm your Avengers status. 

But this is what I really came for.....Sigh.....me and the mighty Thor, god of lightning...

MADAME TUSSAUDS LAS VEGAS

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas wax museum is a great place to get your "celebrity" sighting fix without meeting actual celebrities. Or fighting off The Hulk....

You may want to visit more than once as they are constantly changing the figurines to keep things new and fresh! 

M&Ms World

Chocolate fun for everyone at M&M's World for all things chocolate and M&M's! Four stories of chocolate, souvenirs, character meets and even a 3D show experience! 

Have you heard of Dragon's Breath? Apparently, I have not and underestimated its popularity online (I must be old!) as my kids had to educate me on this thing called Dragon's Breath! Tucked in at the Grand Bazaar Shops between Paris Las Vegas and Bally's is Dragon's Breath, a cereal snack (similar to Fruit Loops) is dipped in liquid nitrogen. When you eat it, the nitrogen comes out your nose and mouth (like a dragon!). It takes awhile to get the hang of it before you can actually "breathe" like a dragon, and of course our really good Dragon Breath experiences never happened when we were trying to get a good pic or video! So you'll have to settle for our word that you actually can breath like a dragon, and it looks way better than what we could catch on film! You can also order Dragon's Breath snacks in ice cream, boba tea, popcorn and several other snackery items.  

Also in the Grand Bazaar Shops, is Wahlburgers, a chain of burger restaurants owned by the Wahlberg family (think Marky Mark, Donnie, New Kids on the Block Wahlberg). The burgers were tasty and cooked to your desired perfection. Not realizing you can order your burger in different "doneness" levels, I opted for a "medium" doneness for a burger, which left the middle of the burger still pink! (GASP!) My food scientist inner self was thinking of all the havoc it would wreak on my digestive system but then realized my iron gut prevails and it's no match for a little bit of pink. I've had way worse in my earlier days....But I would highly recommend checking it out! It was not as heavy and greasy as I was expecting. Beware of long waits during the busy times. We stopped by several times each with 45 minutes to 1 hour wait times before we went there on our last day before 11:00am. By the time we left though, there was a line up outside for guests waiting to get in. 

Las Vegas is also synonymous with the "All You Can Eat Buffets" and there are so many to choose from so a buffet is always on the must do list for any Vegas experience. With allergies galore and food intolerances to be mindful of, our restaurant choices can sometimes be very iffy, and buffet options are a hit and miss. So a wide option for food choices is necessary to ensure there is something my kids can eat! We chose the Spice Market Buffet at Planet Hollywood, and what do you think was the highlight of the buffet?? The all-you-can-eat....cotton candy. Yep, I paid Las Vegas holiday buffet prices (because it was July 4th week) so my kids could eat all the cotton candy they desired....(facepalm!) 

Which conveniently leads this momma to The Tipsy Robot, also located in Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.....the robot creates perfect drink mixes each time while providing an entertaining experience to watch! 

And of course I always have to have a little bit of Asian food wherever I go, and who would have thought there would be so many choices in Paris Las Vegas?! The Yong Kang Street Dumpling and Noodle House is a little bit of Asia, combining food from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China! 

As we couldn't do it all in one trip, other notable experiences worth checking out with your kids along The Strip include the following:

FREE:
- Bellagio Fountains - every 30 minutes between 3 and 7pm, and every 15 minutes from 7pm to midnight
- Mirage Volcano eruption at 8pm and 9pm each night
- Circus Circus free show
- Fall of Atlantis at Caesar's Palace - 11 minute show ever hour

COST:
- Roller Coaster at New York New York
- High Roller at the Linq 
- Stratosphere thrill rides
- Sigfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage
- Adventuredome at Circus Circus
- Shark Reef's Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

I could literally eat my way around Las Vegas as there are so many great options and simply not enough time or belly room to enjoy it all in one visit! Whether you come to Vegas for the uninhibited freedom to let loose and indulge in guilty pleasures in a place most famously known as "Sin City", or just wanting a quiet relaxing vacation by the pool, there really is so much more to enjoy if you're looking for a quick but jam packed getaway! 

Start your travel planning here at www.visitlasvegas.com for the most up to date happenings in Vegas. You may think you don't need a travel agent to help you with a quick trip to Vegas, but there is a lot of value that a travel agent can bring to your trip and it never hurts to see what deals we can find for you! Especially for a group or wedding and a bachelorette/stagette party.....Let me know how I can help! Viva Las Vegas! 

 “Take vacations.
Go to as many places as you can.
You can always make more money.
You can't always make more memories.”

​Memories. That's what we all have and what we will cherish the most as we go through life. And some of the best memories are created through travel experiences. Whether it's an annual family vacation to someplace new each year, or a return to a familiar place, the travel experiences with family and friends is what brings us together sharing exclusive moments in time forever captured through memories.

Whenever someone asks me what I do for a living, I proudly tell people that I am a travel agent. By selling travel itself, I am helping families and individuals make the leap from turning ideas, dreams, and wishes into action, experiences and unforgettable memories that will be with them forever.

I was once in a time during my life where I wanted to wait. Wait until the kids were older to travel. Wait until I could afford a vacation. Wait until we had time off to take a vacation. But as you experience certain life experiences that alter your reality, it forces you to realize how short life really is, and that there is no reason to wait. Life is meant to be lived. In the moment and in the present as much as you can because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

I'm sure many people think that a travel agent books travel. It's true. We can book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, transfers, excursions and so much more. But it's the so much more that I don't think people realize what that can encompass. We are dream makers, magic makers, and memory makers as well. And we pour ourselves, our heart and our soul into many of our clients' trips and travel plans to ensure the magic happens. That they travel with ease, and make unforgettable memories.    

And sometimes we get so focused on our clients, we don't always realize we can make an impact on the destinations we travel to or send our clients to. A fellow travel agent colleague introduced me and our agency to a wonderful non-profit organization, Pack for a Purpose, who work with local communities to determine their specific needs and encourages travellers to pack these items into their bags with whatever luggage space they have to take with them during their travels. The much needed supplies are welcomed by the local groups as they are items they need and requested.

Last fall, our agency was hosting its first annual business conference in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for Canadian travel agents. With the crazy hurricane season of 2017, our own trips were on the verge of being significantly impacted by Hurricane Irma and we were not sure if our travel plans were permitted to continue. Ultimately, our travel plans were not affected and were able to continue with our travels. A small group of us travelling together were profoundly impacted by the devastating damage from the hurricanes and while we were fortunate to continue our travels, we wanted to do something impactful for the local community where we were visiting.

With 72 hours before our departure to Punta Cana, I set out to collect some school supplies and basic toiletry and pharmacy items that I could bring with me in my luggage. I figured I could fill up a whole suitcase so I put out a general request to family and friends for any extra supplies they may have lying around that I could take with me. I would pick them up and pack them in my suitcase.

 I was blown away by the response and amazed at the generosity and speed at which people were willing to help. In 48 hours, I collected 180lbs worth of supplies to take with me to Punta Cana.

Meeting up with other agents in our agency, each person brought with them their own collection of supplies gathered within a week's time frame. In one week, over 60 individuals were able to collect a full SUV car load of much need and valued supplies for Pack for a Purpose to give a local community organization. 

Outback Adventures was kind enough to share with us a video of them dropping off the supplies and sharing the impact our donations made in the community. 

"Thank you for all your donations. As you can see, we brought them to people who suffered a lot because of Hurricane Maria. Many children and families wanted us to thank you in their name. Please share this with everyone in your group who have been so kind to donate." 

Our story is also shared here, on the Pack for a Purpose website as well. ​

Travel is all about experiences. And as a travel agent, I absolutely love that I am in an industry where I can be an integral part of each person's travel dreams. And in that, I can create the life for myself where my family will always have the best memories of childhood through their own travel experiences, including ones where we can choose to make an impact on others as well. Through giving others the gift and opportunity to travel, we receive so much more in return.

I am incredibly grateful for the experience, and that my children were also an integral part of this experience to see that our "little" efforts we made to collect supplies and bring them with us can have such a "huge" impact! 

If you are interested in travelling with impact and volunteer opportunities abroad during your trip, let me know how I can help! It is through this experience realizing that each individual person can make an impact prompted me to become a Good Travels Advisor, to connect with other travel suppliers who are aligned with similar goals and visions. Together, we can all make a difference! 

Movies have the ability to tell the best stories visually where you can truly escape and be entertained for a couple of hours (and if you're lucky, with some popcorn, soda pop and sweet treats!). Once of the best part of Universal Studios Hollywood is their Backlot Tour, where can visit the back stage of real films that are in progress! While some elements are the same, you never know what might be filming on the lot so it's a fun activity to enjoy each time you visit. 

If you are a movie fan and are fascinated with behind the scenes content of how movies and TV shows are filmed, there are several other back stage tours in Hollywood to get your sneak peek. I decided that we should visit the Warner Bros Studio Tour in Burbank for the DC Universe, Batman Collection, Friends set and The Wizarding World - all favourites in our household! 
​

First up, each group is a fairly small group and we board a tram that takes us around the outdoor sets used for city shots, residential houses and the infamous Stars Hollow gazebo from Gilmore Girls. 

The inside parts of the tour brought you to see sets including the West Wing and lighting and props from a variety of TV and films. It almost looks like a flea market in there but they are very organized in cataloging  the inventory and keeping track of what gets used and where. 

The DC Universe Exhibit showcased props and costumes from recent DC movies, most notably Wonder Woman and the huge Batmobile collection, celebrating 75 years of Batman. 

At the Wizarding World, a large collection of props from the Harry Potter movies and The Fantastic Movies were present for exploration and discovery. 

Then you get the opportunity to experience the action and magic of a green screen! Choose from several different movie-making experiences where you can get in on the action directly. The guide describes your actions as you go through the motions and a video is created where you are in the center of the action! After your experience, you can go and watch yourself in the middle of the video clip and see how it was all put together. (For a copy of the photos or the video, there is an additional fee if you want the souvenir of it).

We also were able to walk through the working set of The Conan O'Brien Show, however we were not permitted to take any photos during this part of the tour. 

Then as you head near the end, you get to see visit the coffee shop set of Central Perk, the iconic couch from Friends. 

And everyone gets the chance to take their own photo on the iconic couch with your own cup of coffee! 

After this part of the tour, you are free to meander around as much as you want to explore the gift shop or pick up a coffee at Central Perk! 

All in all, it was a great afternoon going behind the scenes to all our favourite movies and TV shows to get a sense of how they are created. Expect to spend a couple of hours doing the tour but it is worth checking out. It provides more background that the Universal Studios Hollywood Backlot Tour but not too long where you might get bored. It was a nice change of scenery and activity during our Disneyland trip and I highly recommend it if you are looking at something a bit different from the usual Disneyland or Universal Studios Hollywood days if you have an extra day or two to spare. 

Purchasing tickets in advance are highly recommended as tour times run each day and there is no guarantee of availability if you just show up. Groups are small group tours so they provide an intimate experience with lots of time and space for your own exploration within the section. 

Need assistance with planning your California trip? Please let me know as I would love to help! You can do this tour on its own, or purchase one in conjunction with other popular tours in the area. Let me help you find and book the right tour option that fits within your travel plans! 

I look forward to helping you plan and book your California trip so you can experience so many of the wonderful tours and activities they have in the Hollywood and Anaheim area! 

​

Though that may be a Dr. Seuss quote, it seems fitting for the last runDisney race at Disneyland for a few years. runDisney will continue to have marathons at Walt Disney World in Florida, and now in Disneyland Paris but the California Disneyland races have been cancelled indefinitely (at least for 3-4 years) while extensive construction is taking place to expand Disneyland Parks with a new hotel, parking structure and of course, Star Wars Land. 

I wanted to do a runDisney event with my kids so they could experience the joy of running a runDisney race so the Spiderman 5K was the perfect intro to the runDisney world. It's such a great family friendly event for all ages  with kids as young as 5 able to register and participate. There is a minimum age 10 to participate in the 10K, and minimum age 14 to run the half marathon. And we love our Superheroes so the theme was absolutely perfect for us! We were so excited to be running the 2017 Avengers Superheroes Half Marathon Weekend! 

The best part of the race is seeing all the great costumes that people race in, and the incredible support of everyone in the race. It's such a great community to be a part of and I can't believe there won't be any more races. I'm grateful that we took the plunge to register for this race, not knowing it would be the last at Disneyland. ​

We got our Spidey senses tingling, hulked up and ran the race! The best part of the race is simply having fun! There were lots of character stops to take your photos with Captain America, Thor, Hawykeye, Black Widow and Spiderman and photo ops at the mile markers as well. 

We stopped for Captain America and then didn't have time to stop for any of the otters characters. Had we waited in line for another character, we would have risked seeing the infamous balloon ladies who sweep you off the course and you don't finish the race. 

I'm so proud of my kids who not only finished the race, they thought it was too short! It was over so quickly, just as the fun was starting. They are confident they can do the 10K and are eager to try. 

Races begin at 5:00am in the morning and must be completed before the park opens to the public. There are lots of Good Neighbour hotels in the area to stay in, and complimentary shuttle transportation is provided to all race participants throughout the weekend. 

There's nothing like walking around the parks after a race with all your runDisney attire and proudly wearing that medal around your neck! The camaraderie and the community makes the event such a welcoming and worthwhile experience. I'm so sad that there won't be any races at Disneyland anymore, just as I got introduced into the runDisney experience.  

There is no other way  to describe the experience other than it was so much fun! 

I don't know when the next race will be but I definitely want to be running in one again! 

Why not get all dressed up in your Sunday best and head to Disneyland? That's the idea behind Dapper Day, a day to celebrate the days of a bygone era where people would get dressed up in their best attire for a day out in Disneyland. It's not an official event held by Disney, but what started out as a fun way to dress up and spend the day in Disneyland has grown to a bi-annual event in Disneyland, and spread to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris for their own Dapper Day events. Spend a day in the parks wearing your most dapper attire, and check out the expo for a lot of great vendors specializing in couture and pinup clothing styles. 

The Disney PhotoPass photographers are plenty around the parks and they are awesome at ensuring you get the best photos always! Sometimes the characters will also be in their most dapper gear so it's so much fun to spend the day being dapper. ​

Disneyland now has the MaxPass system for $10/day per person if you wish to utilize the digital Fast Pass system at Disneyland. With MaxPass, you can choose your next Fast Pass within the Disneyland app, without having to go to the physical distribution location to obtain a Fast Pass. It is very convenient to choose Fast Passes without having to race across the parks for your next Fast Pass. If you have a Park Hopper ticket, you can choose Fast Passes in either park. Once you have chosen your Fast Pass, it will tell you what time to return to redeem the Fast Pass. You will also be notified when you can choose your next Fast Pass. 

Also included in MaxPass are unlimited photos from the day so it's also a great opportunity to take as many photos in the parks as you can. Photos are uploaded into your Disney account about 30 minutes afterwards and you receive unlimited downloads of your photos (without the watermark) for up to 30 days after your return. 

Is it worth it?? Absolutely. It significantly reduces the time you need to spend waiting in lines, especially the really popular rides that always have long wait times. For us, our must do was to visit the new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction in California Adventure. While I was sad that the Tower of Terror was no longer, I can't believe how much fun the new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction is! The music and the energy of the ride is electric! (Note to self: make sure you have some food in your belly before going on this ride!). I always bring my ginger with me to help settle my stomach for rides like this, but definitely worth it!! 

Really, we wish you were here! 

Dapper Day is just another fun and unique way to enjoy Disneyland and it was neat seeing how so many people dress up! I loved the costumes, the clothing and how everyone is able to express themselves through fashion and feel absolutely beautiful at Disneyland. And there is no better backdrop that Disneyland for your picture perfect self! 

For an extra special treat, combine your vacation with a stay at The Disneyland Hotel! It's such a charming hotel, complete with Disney magic that you just can't describe until you're there. The headboard lights up with fireworks and plays soft music. It's simply magical. Sigh. 

The hotel is located next to Downtown Disney for easy access to restaurants and shopping, and only about a 10 minute walk to the parks. Staying onsite at a Disney resort also gives you Extra Magic Hours, an hour before the park opens to the public so that you can enjoy the parks before the crowds! So many extra benefits to staying at a Disney Resort! And you can beat the magic that comes with Disney! 

​Let me know if you have any questions! I would love to help you!