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.

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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.

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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!

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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!

Victoria Mansion: A Historic Gem in Portland, Maine

There’s nothing more fun than discovering a hidden gem in one of your favorite cities.  While attending the Women in Travel Summit last spring, I went on The Real Portland Tour and our guide told us we HAD to get inside of the Victoria Mansion because there was nothing like it in Portland.  I hadn’t been able to take that building off my mind so while my girls were in camp this summer, I decided it was finally time to go in and take a peek.  I was lucky to have a private tour with Torie, who was able to bring life to the history of the house. Let me show you around…

Also known as the Morse-Libby House, Victoria Mansion was built between 1858-1860 for Ruggles Sylvester Morse and his wife Olivia.  Can you believe it was their summer home! The outside of the home is stunning and will make you stop in your tracks to look at it.

When you walk in, you’ll be amazed at this stunning staircase

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Portland Museum of Art: A Morning at the Museum on My Kid-Free Day in Maine

While my girls are in camp, I like to spend some quiet time exploring different cities.  After a hectic day in Boston, I decided to slow it down and head to Portland, Maine for the day to enjoy some relaxing ‘Me Time’.  My first stop was the gorgeous Portland Museum of Art.  I’d been here years ago on a quick trip so I was anxious to be able to spend as much time as I wanted. 

It’s hard to walk by the museum without giving it a second glance.  The courtyard outside has some beautiful sculptures so I had to stop and take a look.  The first thing I noticed was the sculpture that looked very familiar since I just saw one very similar at the CMCA in Rockland, Maine. 

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Boston Museum of Fine Art: Mummies, Monet, and More

When you think of a fine arts museum you may imagine boring halls filled with old portraits, security shushing people, and bored children trailing behind their parents.  This is not the case at the Boston Fine Arts Museum. Not only do they have hundreds of famous paintings, they also have mummies, statues, jewelry, and weapons that will capture anyone’s attention.  The Boston Museum of Fine Art, with more than 450,000 works of art, is difficult to see in one day, but with a little planning, you can see it all.  The museum is separated into different wings such as Art of Ancient World, Art of Asia, Oceania and Africa, And Contemporary Art. Let me take you around to see our favorite areas of the museum:

Your experience of the MFA begins before you even walk inside.  The museum has some really unique pieces of art right outside.  These doll heads are my daughters’ favorites! 

I personally love Indian Hunter (Paul Manship, 2002) as the hunter and Pronghorn Antelope (and Paul Manship, 2002) as his prey.

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Boston Museum of Science: A Top Pick for Family Activities in Boston

If you’re looking for something the whole family can do while you’re in Boston, look no further than the Museum of Science.  Like many big museums, it’s always best to plan your day out before going, so don’t miss anything.  There are so many fun things to do there that I suggest you check out the website and, as a family, decide what you want to do together.  While my girls were at camp, I got to go alone and I had just as much fun as I do when they come with me, so it is also a great activity when you’re traveling to Boston solo.

Here are 10 things my family likes to do when visiting the Boston Museum of Science:

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Boston Duck Tour: Quacking Your Way Through Boston

Photo credit: Boston Duck Tour

It’s always a good idea to take a tour of the city to get the lay of the land, but as soon as you arrive at your Boston Duck Tour you’ll quickly see this will be unlike any city tour you’ve ever taken! Your “DUCK” is actually a WWII style amphibious landing vehicle, which can drive on land and then drive in water! Let me tell you all about my ride…

I got aboard my “DUCK” and met my conDUCKtour, Scott the Milkman, and Joe, our driver, and off we went.  Boston is filled with history and Scott knew it all.  I took in all the facts while admiring the historic architecture of the different neighborhoods.  Through it all, Scott was full of jokes and puns that kept everyone laughing, including the kids that were on my tour.  It’s a fun way for kids to have fun and even learn a little something without knowing it.

We passed many historic/famous places in Boston such as:

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