Pros/Cons of Staying in a Hotel on Vacation

St. Ermin’s Hotel

Where you stay can make or break your vacation.  We once stayed in a hotel in NYC that placed  earplugs on the nightstand because of its loud neighborhood. When planning your trip, the first decision is should you stay at a hotel, all-inclusive, or rent a place.  Today we’ll focus on hotels, so let’s start by breaking down the reasons why you should or should not stay in a hotel:

PROS OF STAYING IN A HOTEL:

NO COOKING

YES!!! Cheers break out from moms everywhere!! Even on vacation parents do not get a vacation from being a parent.  The advantage of having a hotel room is you can’t cook…not even if you wanted to! Don’t get tricked into getting a room with a kitchenette or you may as well put your apron on.

HOUSEKEEPING

 A week of not making beds or vacuuming sounds like heaven to me.  Leave the housekeepers a big fat tip because they deserve it.

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10 Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe While Traveling

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Since it’s Spring break for New Englanders, I thought I would repost one of my articles on how to keep your home safe while you’re traveling.  Hope it’s helpful! Safe travels!

Vacation is a time for relaxation and tranquility, but it’s human nature to worry about the house you left behind.  A home is a huge responsibility and you want to keep it safe even when you are away.  The following are 10 tips for keeping your home safe while traveling:

1.     ASK SOMEONE TO WATCH YOUR HOUSE.  Personally, I don’t feel the need to hire a house sitter for a short trip.  My house is able to take care of itself.  However, I do let my neighbors know that I’ll be away so they can keep an eye on anything suspicious.  It’s nice to get a quick text saying our house is still standing.

2.    PUT YOUR MAIL ON HOLD.  It takes ten minutes to get online and put your mail on hold.  Nothing screams, “No one’s home!” like mail bulging out of a street mailbox.  I have delivery start the day we return so it’s there when we get home.   

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Tips for Relieving Jet Lag

Jet lag can make or break your vacation because it is this foggy cloud that settles over you.  My husband travels to California for work and I have no clue how his body acclimates to the time difference so well.  I started to do some research and realized there are things you could do to adjust your body to jet lag, so I thought I’d share some of the tips I’ve found:

SO, WHAT THE HECK IS JET LAG?

The medical term for jet lag is desynchronosis.  It is a physiological condition that is caused when the body’s circadian rhythms (internal time clock) is warped due to rapid long-distance (east–west or west–east) travel.

WHAT SYMPTOMS CAN JET LAG CAUSE?

Everyone can experience different symptoms of jet lag.  Personally, I feel like I have a cloud of smog surrounding my head.  People complain of having memory problems, a hard time concentrating, irritation, difficulty making decisions, loss of appetite, tired muscles, and bathroom issues. 

So, what can you do to prevent some of these symptoms?

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15 Ways to Entertain Kids on a Plane

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One of the questions I’m most asked is “What tips do you have for keeping kids happy and busy on a plane?”  So I thought this would be a wonderful time to re-post one of my most popular articles.
Before I had kids I was a horrible flyer.  When turbulence would hit I’d practically sit on the lap of the person seated next to me.  (Awkward!) But after having kids, those fears were replaced by an even scarier one… fear of the crying/screaming child!! I want our vacation fun to start as soon as we get on the plane so I had to develop some tricks to keep the natives from getting restless. Now that my girls are 7 & 9 they can entertain themselves, but they’ve come to love our plane traditions so they’ve stuck.  Here are my Top 15 Ways to Entertain a Kid on a Plane:

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10 Ways to Reacclimate Your Family After Vacation

10 Ways to Reacclimate Your Family After Vacation

 

Your feet are sifting the grains of sand between your toes as you sip on your frozen cocktail while feeling the ocean breeze on your sun kissed cheeks.  Then suddenly…BAAAAMMMM…back to reality…laundry…BAM… homework…BAM…afterschool sports…BAM…late nights at the office…BAM…the list goes on and on.   It’s very easy to get sad and overwhelmed after a trip as you slip back into your everyday routine.  So how can you make this emersion a little easier for your crew?

Here are 10 ways to reacclimate your family after vacation.   

1.     GET RIGHT BACK INTO ROUTINE: Since you may still be in laid-back mode (or running on island time) it’s all about preparation.  Have your kids pack their backpacks the night before school, lay out their clothes, and even set out their coats and shoes.      

2.    PREP SOME DINNER: The last thing you want to think about when you return is what you’re having for dinner.  Have something on hand that can quickly be reheated like a frozen pizza, canned soup, pasta, or a frozen meal.

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10 Things NOT to Do When Boarding a Plane

When we were boarding the plane a few weeks ago, my daughters and I were laughing at all the ridiculous things people do when boarding a plane.  The process could go so smoothly if people would just pay attention to common sense rules.  Most of the time people don’t even realize that what they’re doing is holding up the rest of the passengers, but others are just plain selfish.   So…here are 10 things we thought people should NOT do when they’re boarding a plane:

1.     ARMS AND LEGS:  If you have an aisle seat you will have plenty of time to stretch out during the flight.  I will not feel bad for you if you get your elbow banged while I’m walking if your elbow is halfway across the aisle.  Keep them in your seat until everyone is on board!

2.    OVERHEAD BINS:  Crazy concept… but we are actually ALL sharing the overhead bins, so please set your bag sideways and allow room for others to do the same.  Don’t be that guy that puts it lengthwise right in the middle of the bin!

3.    STANDING IN AISLE: We all have the same task…put our bags up and sit down.  Please do not stand in the aisle taking out your magazines while we all wait for you.

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10 Best Apps for Planning Your Trip

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Since so much goes into planning a trip, it is wonderful to get some help. Luckily, help is right at your fingertips.  The following are the top 10 apps that I use when I am planning a trip.

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What’s in My Travel Bag?

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When my girls were toddlers my travel bag weighed a ton.  I carried supplies for three people…I was their Sherpa! When they got a little older I discovered my new best friend…a kid backpack! Suddenly they were carrying their own stuff and I had my travel bag all to myself.  What do I keep in this magical bag? Here’s a peek…

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Why You Should Leave Your Resort When on Vacation

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Although it is so much fun to lie around the pool or beach at your resort, I find it so disheartening when I hear someone say they didn’t leave the property.  When you are at an all-inclusive resort, the urge to stay on property may keep you from experiencing some memory-making moments.  So what could possibly be gained by leaving the resort?

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Picking the Right Island Destination for your Family

 

Beaches Negril, Jamaica

Beaches Negril, Jamaica

So you’ve decided to take an island vacation with your family. Now what? There are still lots of places you could go and now you’ll need to decide which island is best for you. This is where it takes some investigation. I am a visual person so I like to see the beauty of the different islands. I like to visit sites such as Pinterest and Google Images and I ooohhh and aaahhh over all of the gorgeous beaches and landscapes. So which one will be your vacation?   Here is how I go about picking the right island destination for your family.

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