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Bahama Cruise (A&C)

Sun, 25 May 2025 18:46:32 GMT

5-Day Royal Caribbean Cruise to the Bahamas

Compared to my parent's normal taste, any blogs from my vacations will be focused on budget friendly options. This is my first post, so allow me to introduce myself. I'm Alex, Robin's daughter, and normally I stay behind the scenes and help manage the website for my mom. When my husband, Chris, and I go on vacation, I'll be writing blogs too! This first blog is a little special to me, since I'm writing about the vacation Chris proposed to me on! Anyways, lets get down to the details.

Boarding/Stateroom

We stayed on one of the lower decks, deck 3, and did not upgrade for a balcony or special access. We loved out stateroom, and it was the perfect size for the 2 of us. Boarding for Royal Caribbean was extremely straight forward, and we were able to get on the ship relatively quickly from Port Canaveral.

Things to do on the ship

The first thing we did once boarding was explore the ship. I highly recommend downloading their app, it is easy to read with a deck by deck map. It was our first cruise, so it seemed overwhelming at first, but once you see it yourself it makes sense. We sailed on Voyager of the Seas, which had most of their activities on deck 5 and 11-13. Multiple pool options, an adults only pool section called The Solarium, mini-golf, surfing, and more! We only had one day at sea, but that one day was great. We recommend looking at the activities through their app, and saving things to do since those were some of my favorite memories.

Ports

We stopped at 2 ports, and opted out of any shore excursions, the first was Royal Caribbean's island, CocoCay. Lovely island with multiple food options, space, and beach options. This was our "chill" day by the beach. The water was a little chilly, but so clear and peaceful. Our second stop was Nassau, which is a more popular Bahamas port. We mainly walked around and shopped to see the city. We opted to go back to the ship early, since we aren't really shoppers. I'm sure it would've been more fun with an excursion, but we enjoyed walking around and going back to the boat.

Food/Drink

There were three places to eat for free on the ship. The main dining room, the Windjammer, and the Promenade. We ate at the main dining room every night for dinner, everything was delicious, and our waiters were so sweet! We tried the dining room for breakfast one morning, and it wasn't as good of an experience. The Windjammer was the best place for a casual meal throughout the day. We had breakfast and lunch there everyday, it had beautiful views and a massive buffet so there were more than enough options. You can take the food out of the buffet and take it anywhere with you, so we opted to sit outside most of the afternoons. The Promenade is a smaller place, and only served pizza, desserts, and small sandwiches, but they were open really late. Chris and I tended to eat there as a late night snack almost every night.

12/5-12/9/2024

JetBlue vs Delta

Sun, 25 May 2025 17:23:19 GMT

JetBlue Review and Seat Comparison

Recently I flew to Puerto Rico for a work trip, and while normally I would fly Delta I was forced to try JetBlue due to other circumstances.

Flight/boarding Experience

Check-in was super fast with all kiosks operational and nobody complaining. Boarding is typical by zone, and fight attendants were very friendly on both flights. Since JetBlue is a budget airline, it does not offer first class, but you do have three seating options:

Core (think basic economy)

Extra legroom (exit row seats)

EvenMore (comparable to Delta comfort plus)

Seating Comparison

On the first leg to Fort Lauderdale I elected to fly exit row and the experience was typical. Most people did not elect to upgrade (plus side for budget airlines) so I had a row to myself.

Flying to Puerto Rico was on the EvenMore. These seats have roughly the same amount of legroom as the exit row with the benefit of three alcoholic drinks and these amazing chocolate chip cookies along with some premium snacks that are not offered to core. Once again no neighbors sitting next to me.

Las Vegas

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 23:42:34 GMT

Weekend Trip to Las Vegas

We decided to take a quick 3-day trip to Las Vegas! A slight shift in our normal destination, but as always, I have thoughts to share with you.

Flights and Local Travel

I always recommend booking your flight as early as possible, but with Vegas it isn’t much of a suggestion. If you want cheap prices and the best seat availability, book your flight as early as possible. Speaking of booking your flight, it is less about what airline you chose and more about the comfort and timing of your individual flight. Trust me, we all have loyalties including myself, but when it comes to popular destinations focus on the flight, not the airline. I do recommend premium economy or first class when flying from the East Coast, but the longer the flight, the higher the recommendation.

The last thought I can leave with you regarding your flight to Vegas is to absolutely maximize your time. Spring for that early landing and a late return flight. It might be a little harder on the pocketbook, but it is worth the ease of mind. Avoid budget carriers since they frequently have reliability issues and little time to absorb scheduling delays. Unfortunately, they will leave you stranded at the last possible moment.

Now when it comes to local travel, we are always the first to tell you to rent a car for absolute flexibility, but in a city like Las Vegas we had to change things up. A taxi or rideshare was the best option, especially since the drivers know what events are happening where and any shortcuts that you wouldn’t know otherwise. This also means having a designated driver, which isn’t too shabby.

Local Events

Before booking your trip, make sure to look into local events such as SEMA and F1. These types of events can have a significant impact on your ability to move freely up and down the strip. On the other hand, if you find out what events are happening, you can plan to go to some. We highly recommend checking out local concerts or Broadway quality shows. If you do, grab shows as early as possible for the best seats. We saw Foreigner and Cirque du Solei and they were amazing.

Things to Do

Other than local events, Vegas does have some constant things to do. If you are interested in shooting, especially automatic weapons, head to Las Vegas Shooting Center. The staff was extremely friendly, and the selection of weapons is without equal.

In the opposite direction, The Bellagio Conservatory Botanical Gardens were surreal. It has 14,000 square feet of exquisitely curated fresh flowers, animatronics, and fountains that will surely fill up your camera faster than expected. According to the designer, Ed Libby, the gardens are transformed five times per year.

Vegas has a little bit for everybody, especially for my shoppers out there. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace are spectacular. They have approximately 160 shops and restaurants, some of which are designer stores including Louis Vuitton, Armani, and Gucci. Once you are shopped out, make sure to hit the 50,000-gallon aquarium and animatronic fall of Atlantis.

Food and Drink

For those of you who have been around, you know now that food and drinks are something we don’t skip out on. Starting with the Crack Shack, if you are looking for something with a modest cost but still just as flavorful, this is your place. Up next we have an absolute must-do experience, Eggslut inside the Cosmopolitan. It is right next to The Chandelier and has a menu dominated by … you guessed it, eggs! Speaking of The Chandelier, it is quite a unique experience. It is nearly 10,000 square feet of fantastic Alice in Wonderland vibes. Immersive with great mixologists. If you are looking for a Mexican place, Nacho Daddy has fantastic drinks.

Carversteak on the other hand was a bit of a letdown. Tough steaks, slow kitchen, and tons of kitchen errors/go-backs. On the other hand, Nine Fine Irishmen is a great pub, especially for an Irish Car Bomb. Perfect atmosphere for a drink. The last good selection for a drink had to be Brew Dog. A great selection of beers on-tap and amazing views of the strips from the rooftop bar.

At the end of everything, it was an amazing, packed weekend that we would recommend to anybody and everybody.

Williamsburg, VA

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 23:09:11 GMT

Mixing business with fun in Williamsburg and Norfolk

Williamsburg/Norfolk Weekend:

Mix a business trip with some personal time off. When able to add time for a business trip for yourself, you should. Doing this will provide you with surprising and wonderful local finds.

We all travel for friends, family, and work. Take advantage of these trips for some fun and you'll find great places. We were headed to Virginia Beach and found some hidden gems between Richmond and Williamsburg as well as a few hidden gems in Norfolk. New Kent County, VA is not a destination place or really even optimal for a quick weekend. Williamsburg has Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg, but visiting there you probably wouldn’t drive out or stop in New Kent.

So, we left a little earlier than needed and searched wineries on the way. The Guathier winery had good reviews and lunch options. Stopping somewhere like this is always a risk, could be great or horrible. This was a great fund. We enjoyed both a sweet and red flight of wines; $16 per flight. Generous pours and a few of the wines had a chocolate pairing. We purchased 2 bottles; Rochambeau port and Gazebo Blanc Moscato. These went well with the wood fired brick oven pizza from Gypsy Gourmet which is on site.

While in Virginia Beach we did a few side trips to find local restaurants as well; take the time to search for local places.

Lunch in Norflok at Orapax - fabulous greek food and craft cocktails.

Dinner in Suffolk at Harper's Table . This fabulous restaurant in downtown Suffolk has all items farm to table and their mixologist does an amazing Lemon Drop. This was one of our more expensive meals of the trip; drinks appetizer of Pork Belly Biscuit, entrees Jumbo Crabcakes and Halabt, dessert Peach crumble. $180 after tip.

Lunch in Norflok at Torch Bistro. Great local hole in the wall bar. Perfect Basil Berry Smash; I love a good cocktail and greatly appreciate a menu that lists signature cocktails.

Finally on the way home driving back through New Kent we found a fabulous Mexican restaurant just off the highway. Local place with prefect Margaritas and ice cold beer. Best price of the trip, dinner only $50 after tip.

Every trip is an opportunity to explore new areas and have a little fun. Take advantage of these unexpected finds.

7/6-7/14/2024

Duck, North Carolina

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 16:19:20 GMT

Early Spring Stay in Duck, NC

We can thankfully say the Outer Banks are not a new vacation spot for us. Every time we go, we change the area to expand the locations we can recommend! This time we chose to go further north of Kitty Hawk and Nags Head into Duck, North Carolina.

Lodging:

We stayed at Barrier Island Station. The apartments were dated but clean and well cared for, and the access to the beach is convenient for guests. We recommend this location as a more financially sustainable option while still receiving the private beach access and a comfortable living arrangement.

Restaurants:

If you are not new to the blog, you know by now our focus on vacations is food and drinks, and this trip did not disappoint.

1.NC Coast Grill & Bar.

Fantastic food and views across the entire board. Of all the locations we ate at on this trip, this is our biggest recommendation. All the food is fresh with some of the nicest stuff we could’ve had. If you do not know what to get, get the chef’s specialty board! (Picture below).

2. Fishbones Raw Bar & Restaurant

Good food, seafood focused (as all oceanside restaurants tend to be). A recommendation absolutely but try it before you try NC Coast Grill & Bar. Overall, it was pretty good…perhaps after NC Coast Grill & Bar it’s hard to be excited?

3. Sunset Grill & Raw Bar

Excellent food and views. Beautiful sight over the water, especially at sunset. Tried shrimp pasta, that was very good and light. Also known for their sea bass, prime rib, and shrimp tacos!

4. Freshfit Café

A lunch place for sure, very convenient with fresh ingredients. This is more south of Nags head, so a little drive from Duck, but not too bad. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options if that is something you are looking for(Personally, my husband and I are happy meat eaters, so I can’t speak for the taste, but lots of options!)

5. Charis Coffee Company

Not too much to say, but still a recommendation. Great little coffee spot in Manteo. There is this prayer wall inside that is very touching.

6. The Village Table and Tavern

This is a great option for a date night dinner! Settings are on the fancier side, but for the food and atmosphere, the price is pretty good. Amazing atmosphere and views.

7. Duck Deli

Cute lunch spot for sandwiches and burgers. Personally, I had a great steak and cheese sub! Warning though, when we went it was all outdoor seating so be prepared.

8. Josephine’s Sicilian Kitchen

Amazing flavor, perfect. The menu is rotating and restrictive so make sure to call ahead or visit before your planned meal so you know what to expect!

9. Sweet T’s Coffee Beer & Wine

Great little place to stop and have a drink…or several. Focused more on beverages than food, so make sure to come after a meal or when you aren’t very hungry.

10. Buffalo City Distillery

As you can tell by the name, it is primarily a drink place. This is definitely another recommendation for a drink, less coffee shop, more distillery atmosphere. The bartender was great!

11. Red Sky Casual Dining and Cocktails

This could be a lunch or dinner meal for either occasion. Great food and greats, but the presentation was fantastic.

Things to do:

Unfortunately, the week we went, was very cold and rainy with temperatures mostly in the 50s. Despite this, there were a lot of things we could do! There are a lot of drive on beaches or off-road opportunities in the area, we specifically explored off-road from Corolla Beach to Carova Beach. For those for aren’t as interested in the beach (which if that is the case, I wouldn’t particularly recommend this vacation spot, but there are options here too). There is a Wright Brother’s National Memorial. My husband’s retired Air Force, so I'm sure you can guess whose idea this was, but it was a great educational and fun visit which would make anyone excited.

Towards the end of the week, it did start to warm up. We took this opportunity to go to the Elizabethan Gardens. I must say, if you do nothing else in Duck, you have to visit these gardens. They are beautiful and absolutely amazing! We spent our last morning on the beach and that took the cake of the entire trip.

3/23-3/30/2024

Bahama Cruise

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 12:44:36 GMT

Norwegian Escape- East Caribbean

Seven days in the Caribbean you almost can’t have a bad experience. Great weather, good food, and plenty of fun and relaxation. This was our third cruise with Norwegian and we will definitely be doing another one. I have a lot to share, so this blog will be separated into sections so that you can skip to what matters to you.

The Ship, our stateroom, and is priority access worth it?

We cruised on the Escape, which is one of Norwegians breakaway plus class ships. We did a shorter cruise on the Getaway in 2022 which is a breakaway class; the difference is huge. The breakaway plus is slightly larger ship than the breakaway class but has the same bars and restaurants. The difference is that you don’t feel as crowded on the breakaway plus ships and the service is better.; plus on the Getaway there was a line for everything.

We chose a large balcony room, the room size is the same as any balcony type room, but the larger balcony is worth extra cost for us. A regular balcony room has just enough space for 2 chairs and a small drink table. The large balcony had room for 2 chairs, table, and a lounger. We like to have coffee on the balcony every day so they extra space makes a difference for us. We have previously stayed in the club balcony suites, the difference there is a larger bathroom (double sink and bigger shower). Our next cruise we will do a Club Large Balcony room.

I see a lot of posts asking if the priority access is worth the price; this really depends on person traveling. We paid $224 for priority which has 3 main benefits. First, priority line for embarkation which only matters if you are trying to board during a ‘peak’ time of day. We try to get a boarding time of 10-11am which is a very busy time. So, the shorter line makes a big difference as we usually only have 3 or 4 people before us. Second, priority tenders which is important if you have any tender stops and especially if you have multiple tender stops. For tender ports you must sign up for a tender and these fill up fast. The priority group gets the first tender and first seating on all subsequent tenders, we don’t like to schedule much so we get priority whenever we show up. Last, priority for disembarkation which gets you off the ship with the first luggage tag group. If you have a tight deadline for flights or anything that day this will make all the difference. We like that we can disembark whenever we want to, just because you are in the first group does not mean you have to get off with that group. Also be aware that the port traffic gets backed up very quickly, so either plan to be off the ship with the first couple groups or wait till the last as traffic will be a stand still. When we disembarked there were 2 other cruise ships also returning the same morning; so that puts 15,000+ people tring to leave the port all at once.

Extras on board

Many take advantage of the Free at Sea with Norwegian which has the following built into the price of your cruise; unlimited drink package (service fee of $140 per person will be charged), 2 specialty dining meals, 150 minutes internet, and $50 shore excursion credit. However, there are plenty of additional options to purchase as well.

Additional dining

On a shorter cruise the 2-specialty dining meals are plenty as there are great complimentary dining options. However, we have found that on a 7-day cruise two additional specialty dining meals are worth it. The additional two meals are about $80 per person; or $40 per meal (plus a service fee). These restaurants are reservation expected and they only release 20% of the seating before the cruise. If you try to book and there are no options just wait until you board the ship, we had no problem getting everything we wanted booked the first day. We also noticed that expect for Cagney’s none of the restaurants were ever full, so if you have a small party, you can probably get a table anytime without a reservation. The Norwegian ships have multiple specialty options, we enjoyed dinner at the following:

Bayamo by Ocean Blue – this was our favorite meal of the entire trip! The seafood was perfectly cooked with amazing flavors. I could have happily eaten here twice.
La Cucina – first night dinner with our whole group. The Italian was delicious, and the service was great.
Cagney’s Steakhouse – we have eaten here on other cruises and always enjoy a great meal. Some will say this is the best steak, but honestly the quality and flavors are comparable to Outback Steakhouse not a Ruth’s Chris. If you go in with that expectation, you will have a great meal.
Teppanyaki – this was just like any other shared table Japanese restaurant. The chefs are skilled and put on a good show, but the seating management is lacking. We were seated with no service (drinks or anything) almost 20 minutes.

Internet Package

We use the 150 minutes of “free at sea” very quickly, so we have one person in our cabin purchase the unlimited plan then we just share the internet access. This costs about $180 and we are usually doing vacation things and don’t need internal access all the time. I do check work daily and the connection is more than good enough for email, but not strong enough for VPN. If you do not pay for the unlimited, make sure you log out of the internet on your phone every time you are done so that you can make those 150 minutes last as long as possible. Your phone does a lot of updating in the background that will eat through those minutes before the end of day one if you are not careful.

In addition to the internet there is an option for texting in the NCL app. If we are traveling with a larger party, we pay for this as well, $10 per person, so that we can coordinate with the rest of the group. The texting is not great and honestly not sure if we will do it again. Those in our party that didn’t have the unlimited internet had a lot of problems staying connected to the ship Wi-Fi which is required for this to work (have at least one tech savvy person in your group to help with this).

Thermal Suire 7 Day Spa Pass

This was the first trip we added this and it was pricy but worth every penny! We paid $299 per person for unlimited access to the thermal spa which included steam room, snow room, salt bath, sauna, sanarium (like the sauna but lower temperature), hot tub, whirlpool, heated loungers, and cushion loungers all with an amazing view. The spa is located directly under the bridge with floor to ceiling windows, so you can sit in a lounger and enjoy the best view on the ship. If you have kids or enjoy the party atmosphere of the pools this will not be a good expense for you. We do not enjoy the pool crowds and much prefer the relaxation of the spa. A few others in our group paid for this as well and we all spent time every day in the spa; some just enjoyed the loungers’ others used the sauna and hot tub. It is a quiet place to don’t plan on big group discussions, but chatting with one or two people was very common.

Macallan Tasting

The ship has both wine and whiskey tastings (about $22 a person) which are nice on sea days. When we went to Alaska, we did a wine and cheese pairing, so this time we did a Macallen whiskey tasting. My husband enjoys collecting bourbon and whiskey, so this was something he really wanted to do. The tasting samples were very generous, and my husband enjoyed both mine and his (good thing no one is driving). Be aware that you have probably already had a drink or two and the duty-free shops are open during the tastings, we came very close to buying some (which was not something we had planned to do).

There are plenty of extras we choose not to do (golf, ropes course, art auctions, etc) so before you cruise take some time to see what is on board and plan (ie budget) to do a few of those things.

Entertainment

One of the reasons we enjoy cruising is all of entertainment on the boat, this trip did not disappoint.

Howl at the Moon

Dueling pianos. Go on a night when you are in a ‘party’ mood, make some suggestions, and sing with the talented musicians. The first few nights this is packed but wait until day 4 or 5 and there will be plenty of seating.

Comedy Club

We have found that there are usually 2 comedians with different target audiences. Try them both and don’t be afraid to leave if you are not enjoying it. The first comedian was a little too vulgar for us but the second was hilarious. These nights do tend to stay full as the comedians only do a few shows so plan to be there 30 minutes early.

The Choir of Man

This was in the main theatre and they did 2 shows that week. We have seen this show on previous cruises and still booked it to see again and the show did not disappoint. The show targets an adult audience so I don’t think I would bring young kids and a few parents did choose to leave for that reason. It was not anything vulgar but it could be just over the line depending on the age of your kids.

The Supper Club

This was new for us as the previous cruises (both Encore and Getaway) didn’t offer this. This is just what it sounds like, meal and a show. This is not a specialty dining so there were no extra fees, but it was a set menu. During the cruise there were two shows you could reserve for, we only did one, and there were a few times that room was used for movies or other entertainment (check your freestyle daily). Our entire group enjoyed this.

Shore Excursions

Last but not least are the shore excursions we choose to do.

Puerto Plata, Dominican Repubic

Explore in a Classic Car. This was a fun way to see Puerto Plata, but make sure you are near the front of the line for this one. This was an NCL excursion, so it is a big group, but there were about 10 cars to pick from. We were not first so we didn’t get the t-bird but there are plenty of good options. Since most of the cars are 2-4 people it feels like a much smaller group. This was about $150 a person and we enjoyed the day.

St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

We opted to do an excursion we found through trip advisor; Half Day Luxury Catamaran Turtle Snorkel and Beach with Someday Charters, it was about the same price of $150 a person. This was hands down the best excursion we have ever done! It was just 12 people on the boat, we were able to snorkel over some reefs and a shipwreck and got to swim with sea turtles. The charter provided great people that were knowledgeable about the area and very helpful (especially for those that had not snorkeled before). They promise you will see the turtles and we definitely did; we were able to see 5-6 and get close to them.

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

We did nothing formal here, just walked around town and did a little shopping. It was a morning stop (6am -2pm) and we enjoyed the relaxing morning.

Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas

This is Norwegians private island and was a great relax on the beach day. This stop we had a tender and because we were priority we got to the island with group 1 and were able to get loungers with a great view close to food, drinks, and bathrooms. I recommend no excursions at this stop.

Another great vacation done. As always, plan, budget, and pay BEFORE you travel; no one wants to come home to a big bill. No matter was else you do, do not put vacations on a credit card or borrow for them.

11/25/2023-12/2/2023

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 21:45:51 GMT

Timeshare Weekend

Like many people we got suckered into a timeshare give away weekend with Capital Vacations. They get you by offering what sounds like a deal you can’t pass up and honestly you can get a really good deal for a vacation or two. We paid $300 for a 3-night stay in Pigeon Forge, TN and a 7-night cruise. The weekend in TN required that we sit through a timeshare presentation, which we did. Let me first say that these guys are very good salesmen and it is hard to say no to buying in. However, you can still leverage this for a nice weekend away. The purchase committed us to a 120-minute presentation, but this ended up being almost 4 hours! They hold your gifts till the end, and it is hard to say no so you end up spending much longer talking to them than you ever planned. I will say that the Capital sales team was always professional and pleasant, we did decline to purchase a timeshare and there were no nasty hard selling tactics. We have sat through other presentations where the sales team was very pushy and rude. Plan on spending double the time they claim at the presentation.

We have owned timeshares before and found that it is not a good match for how we vacation and plan. After accounting for the annual maintenance fees it would not save us a significant amount annually. When you are talking to the salesperson always ask about annual maintenance fees and special assessments. Those costs will increase every year and will never stop, so any ‘savings’ must be offset by that cost. For us the math just doesn’t work out. Also consider the level of investment you would need to make in order to take advantage of the vacations you want. If you have kids you are probably traveling in peak season, that is not a cheap trip no matter what. We didn’t buy a timeshare but we did purchase a one-time allotment of points that must be used in 24 months (their discovery program). The difference here is that there are no maintenance fees and we get a couple years to try out their booking platform and a select list of resorts. We will have to talk with the sales team after a stay but there is no commitment to purchase (I will post about that once we book and stay somewhere).

Before booking remember you will still pay taxes for the hotel stay (average is $23 a night) and the cost to get there and back home. The biggest unplanned expense for our weekend was food. You will be in the middle of a tourist area so plan on double the normal cost for eating out. You will also spend on ‘things to do’. We were right by the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, so aside from crowds and a small parking fee it was a great no cost way to spend some time.

Overall, the sucker purchase turned out well for us and the total cost for the 4 days was $363 for lodging, $175 gas, $471 food ($1,009); we could have eaten out much cheaper and the hotel was a fraction of the cost for an average stay.

What we did in Pigeon Forge, TN:

Great Smokey Mountains National Park – this was a wonderful morning though very crowed. Plan to either be on a busy trail or drive another 45+ minutes to one of the quieter options. We chose to hike to Cataract Falls because it was close to Gatlinburg, an easy hike, and great for pictures. Of course, this means everyone else also picked it. The other options were another 45+ minutes into the park and would have been a less crowded option. Drive a little further for a better hike especially if you are wanting to avoid busy trails.
Hollywood Star Cars Museum – I could have passed on this but my husband is a big car guy and he loved it. It was just $17 each (buy your tickets on line to save a little) and an enjoyable hour for us. This museum is not very busy, so we did enjoy a break from the crowds.
Dolly Parton’s Stampede – this was well worth it for dinner and a show. Plenty of humor and a little north vs south competition, great for families! Beware that everyone is served the same thing so if you have picky eaters’ good luck (and maybe plan a fast food stop afterwards). Most likely even your pickiest eater will enjoy the show and not complain.
Dick’s Last Resort – This was a fun and different dining experience. The restaurants’ theme is sarcasm and a little rude, but all for a good laugh. However, the food was overpriced for what we had. Overall, we had a lot of fun during lunch but left felling disappointed by the cost; quality matters especially if you are paying tourist level prices.
Harpoon Harry’s Carb House – I can’t say enough good things about the food and service here!! We ate here twice over the weekend and will definitely go back! The service was perfect, attentive, good recommendations, and prompt. The food was fabulous! I had the fettucine alfredo and was not expecting much from a seafood place, but this was one of the best I have ever had. The seafood was perfect as well. This place is the worth the price.
Sugarland Distilling Company and Old Smokey Moonshine – we couldn’t visit and not try some of the local moonshine companies. There is a moonshine company just about every block, they make almost any flavor you can think of, and all have free samples. We tried two based on recommendations from our bartender at Harpoon Harry’s and we were not disappointed. The tasting at Sugarland’s’ was 12 different flavors; Apple Pie, Peach, Punch, Lemonade, Sweet Tea, Chocolate, and Pumpkin to name just a few. All were delicious but don’t worry the taste is ¼ a shot so you will be happy enough to buy some (of course we did) but still safe to drive.

10/27/2023-10/30/2023

Weekend in Maryland

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 18:15:13 GMT

Whitehaven BnB

Vacations can be a quick weekend or weeks in Europe, there is no minimum length or distance you have to go. Sometimes the best vacation is a quick get away close to home. We plan a big vacation every couple of years or so, but we also plan little weekend get aways regularly. I find the quick weekend just a couple hours from home can be more enjoyable than a week or more traveling. These trips take just a day or two of vacation time and can be done for a few hundred dollars.

So, pick a weekend and find a hotel or bed and breakfast to just get away. We recently stayed at the Whitehaven hotel near Salisbury, MD. This historic bed and breakfast was just beautiful and the prefect weekend getaway. The hotel is on the Wicomoco River and is close to Roaring Point Park. The hotel provides kayaks for guests so you can enjoy the river or you can drive just a few minutes to the beach at Roaring Point, great fishing there too. The area has a few vineyards as well to enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting if that is your interest.

When searching for these out of the way places make sure you research the area. This hotel is right on the river and there is a ferry, but that ferry stops at high tide every day. We knew this and did call ahead to confirm the ferry was running on our travel day, but we didn’t take into account the high tide. So, after 4 hours of driving we got to the ferry only 10 minutes to late. There is nothing worse that sitting in your car looking at the hotel just 40 feet away and knowing you now have another 45 minutes of drive time necessary.

9/2/2023-9/4/2023

Alaska Trip

sites@tailorbrands.com — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 11:38:31 GMT

What I Wish I knew...

We saved and planned and thought through everything for our first cruise…. or at least we thought we had. This was our first big vacation without our kids and we were celebrating ten years of marriage. What better trip than a seven-day Alaskan cruise! Let me first say that it was a wonderful trip and we could not have had more fun. The Norwegian Encore had great food, fabulous entertainment, and plenty of options to enjoy our time. There were choices we made that I would recommend for everyone and some choices we wish we had done differently.

First, and most important, what we did right. The entire vacation was fully paid for before we left. No, I am not saying we charged our credit card. We paid for airline tickets, the cruise, and all shore excursions before leaving. There is nothing worse than coming home to a huge credit card bill that will take months to pay off. We also paid for the priority upgrade for embarkment and dis-embarkment. This made getting on and off the boat much easier and almost no lines.

Now for what I wish we had done. We were in a club suite room with balcony, but it is still a small room. Even though you do not spend much time there, you still need to maximize your space. I wish I had brought a toiletry bag that could hang with all my items. These are relatively cheap and come in plenty of sizes and colors (like this Bagsmart ). I wish we had brought a water bottle for the room, like this collapsible one from Special Made . My husband was smart enough to bring one, but a second would have been very helpful so that we could keep one cold. Lastly, we spent way too much time and money picking up headache medicine. The ship charges a ridiculous amount and for some reason finding a drug store was a huge pain during our stops. Pick up a first aid kit (like this mini one ) and some over the counter meds (like this packet ).

I’ll be better prepared for our next trip!

6/26/2022-7/3/2022