Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum: Stepping Back in Time in Boston

For my birthday this year, my girls and I decided to head to Boston to check some things off our list that we’ve wanted to do.  Since we were already planning to do the Old Town Trolley Hop-On Hop-Off bus, (don’t forget to read all about our ride!) we decided to get off at one of their last stops… the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. Also, since it’s summer vacation, it’s nice that they got to learn about an important time in American history (Just don’t tell them it was educational…sssshhh).  I really had no clue what to expect, since I’m not too thrilled about doing tours through museums.  I was pleasantly surprised that the tour is actually a fully immersive tour.  The characters were so authentic, we felt like we had stepped back in time.  Here’s a peek at our experience:

Our first stop was to go to the meeting house to meet us with some of the local townspeople on this historic night in 1773 Boston. 

Since it is a dangerous time, we were given a feather to represent a disguise, as well as cards that told us all about the character we were. 

(more…)

An Art-Lover’s Trip to Rockland, Maine, Day 2

I woke up early at the Berry Manor Inn, made myself a cup of coffee, and jumped back in bed to enjoy it by the fire.  (Hey…when my kiddos are not around, I take every chance at relaxation!)

After a delicious breakfast at the inn, we headed to the Friends of Maine Coastal Islands Wildlife Refuge Gallery.  Their mission is to help conserve, protect, and enhance the rich diversity of coastal habitats, seabirds, and other wildlife in Maine. 

They have a fantastic map of seabird nesting islands off the coast of Maine.  I often forget just how vast the coastline is.  In fact, Maine has more coastline than California!

There were beautiful works of art.  I loved this wooden piece of clouds with the moon peeking out.

Guru's Moon
Guru’s Moon

(more…)

An Art-Lover’s Weekend in Rockland, Maine: Day 1

Photo credit: Cait Bourgault

Last spring, I had the opportunity to join several other travel influencers to experience The Heart of Maine’s Art Scene, in Rockland, Maine.  We had such a great time traveling to this gorgeous coastal town. We were hosted by the nicest people who all took time out of their busy schedules to share their love for Rockland. Also traveling with us was Cait Bourgault, an amazing photographer, and she captured so many fun moments.  (Check out her website: www.caitbourgault.com)
It’s not common for me to have an itinerary made for me, and it was so nice to sit back and not have to plan a thing.  Here is what we did on our trip.  Enjoy!

We started our day at the Maine Lighthouse Museum. I love lighthouses and always stop to take pictures of them, so I was happy this was our first stop. I loved seeing the pennies on the floor showing where the Maine lighthouses were!

Photo credit: Cait Bourgault

The museum had so many fun pieces. This one rotates.

After our drive from Portland, we needed to get some food into us, so we were treated to Clan McLaren for lunch.  This hip spot served delicious sandwiches and salads.  I had a chicken salad called the Lorelei, and it was so good I’ve tried to replicate it at home. 

Photo credit: Cait Bourgault

Our first stop on our art tour of Rockland, Maine was the striking new home of CMCA, designed by architect Toshiko Mori.  The building is a work of art itself, with its 11,500 square foot building with 5,500 square feet of exhibition space. 


(more…)

The Real Portland Tour: Getting the Lay of the Land from a Portland, Maine, Native

The best way to see a new town is to be shown around by a local, who will give you its history and recommendations of what to do while you’re there.  They know the best tourist spots and will even share some hidden gems.  This is exactly what you’ll get when you take The Real Portland tour.  Derek will make you feel like a long-lost friend that’s taking you around his hometown. 

I chose this tour when I was attending the Women in Travel Summit, and although I’d been to Portland a ton of times, I got to see places I had no clue existed.  This 90-minute tour was the perfect way for me to see Portland from a new perspective…that of a local.

Derek, a native of Portland, was knowledgeable and I could picture my girls dying laughing at all of his jokes and puns.  I can’t wait to bring them next time.  He gave us the history of Portland as we passed the busy downtown area, the Arts district, and the Old Port.  We went by gorgeous brownstones and Victorian mansions and enjoyed stunning views of the Eastern Prominade.  There were beautiful views of the harbor…or “ha-bah” as Derek would say!

(more…)

Residence Inn Tudor Wharf

Photo credit: Residence Inn Boston Harbor

My girls have a new obsession…Dear Evan Hanson…so we were thrilled when it came to Boston. As I started looking for a hotel, I knew I wanted to use my Marriott points and the Residence Inn by Marriott Boston Harbor on Tudor Wharf stood out because it is an all-suite hotel. The 167 suite hotel is located right on the St. Charles River and has stunning views of the Boston Harbor.   

Read all about our fun stay...

Sonesta ES Suites, Burlington, VT

Summer is quickly running out so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to spend some time at the beautiful Sonesta ES Suites in Burlington, Vermont.  Having gone to college in Vermont, it has always been one of my favorite states and I couldn’t wait to share it with my girls! The location of the Sonesta can’t be beat since it’s close to the airport, as well as Stowe, Sugarbush, and Smuggler’s Notch.  Since there are 96 spacious suites at the Sonesta, it is a wonderful destination for families looking to get away.  

Click here to read all about our stay!

Monthly Product Roundup: August

So sorry that this is a week late…end of summer got in the way! It was the last week of summer in our house before school started and we were trying to squeeze every bit of summer fun out of the time we had left. So now, back to the products we tested out this month that we fell in love with! Enjoy!

Lamo Sneakers

WHY TRAVELERS WILL LOVE THEM: I am always looking for a sneaker that looks cute and are comfortable on my feet.  The light blue color on these Lamo sneakers are perfect to wear with everything and I’ve been wearing them all summer.  I just wore them the other day to Santa’s Village and I was so impressed that they were still comfortable after a day of wearing them at an amusement park.

(more…)

Story Land: Fun for the whole family in the White Mountains

No matter how crazy our summer gets, we always set aside a day to head to Story Land, a tradition we’ve had since the girls were babies.  Fast forward a decade later and we are still having fun as a family.  Take a peek into our fun day at Storyland:

First stop is always taking a picture with Humpty Dumpty.  We take one every year here and love to look back on when they were little. 

Now on to the what my kids are here for…the rides! Here are some of our favorites:

Roar-O-Saurus: A fun wooden roller coaster that is the fastest ride in the park.

(more…)

Old Town Trolley: Hop-On Hop-Off your Way Through Boston

You know how I feel about driving in Boston… I’m such a chicken!  There are times I want to do different things around the city but I can only drive to the aquarium and the science museum (lol)! I then end up taking cabs so I don’t get to stop as much as I want.  Well I’ve found the perfect solution! For my birthday, the girls and I spent a perfect day in Boston on the Old Town Trolley Tour.  This hop-on hop-off bus allows you to get off at a stop when something strikes you or stay on the bus and continue hearing more historic commentary. It’s an amazing way to see Boston!

Here are some fun things you can do on this 15-stop tour:

STOP 1: We started our tour in front of the New England Aquarium (which is great since I can actually drive here and park…lol).  It’s a beautiful place to see the waterfront!

(more…)

Latest Article on Thrive Global: Tips for Getting a Perfect Massage

Lying face down on a comfortable table with a soft blanket draped over your back, you look around at the candles illuminating the dimly-lit room as you let the soothing spa music lull you into a tranquil state of relaxation.  This is my happy place, and it’s my favorite way to relax and recharge.  There are a few things you can do to make your massage experience perfect!

Click here to take a peek at the article!