The Stone Zoo is on 26 acres, so it is a small zoo that can easily be enjoyed in a few hours. Since the zoo is only about a half hour from Boston, it is the perfect day trip.
There are so many incredible animals to see at the Stone Zoo in their many exhibits. Let me introduce you to some of our favorites:
My all-time favorites are the flamingos!!
(Aruba)
De Palm Island is a wonderful place to escape to spend the day relaxing and playing in the sun. Swim, eat, drink, and enjoy a stunning little island.
If you have your own transportation, you can drive yourself to the ferry terminal. However, if you have no car, no worries…you can get picked up from your hotel by the De Palm bus and they’ll drive you over. Once you get to the terminal, jump on the small ferry and take a lovely 10-minute ride over to the island.
We found a great spot in the first row of papillons and had an amazing view of the stunning beach area. Just look at this view! To warn you, a lot of the beach had rough coral at the entrance. We figured out that if you went in through the left side of the beach, there was no coral. I felt bad for people walking into the water and twisting their faces in pain. You may want to bring water shoes. The beach is smaller than I expected, but it was fine since people seem to spread out on the island.
This was our favorite activity we did n the island and we actually did it twice. They provide flippers and snorkels and everyone must wear a floatation device.
You enter the water off this dock.
As soon as you enter the water you start seeing fish.
The reef is not colorful, but it is still really pretty. There were so many different fish and many of them come right up to you.
We had such a great time! You may want to bring an underwater camera.
These adorable birds were so beautiful and we couldn’t get enough of them.
You could take turns going into the enclosure to take pictures with them but you can’t touch or feed them.
Look at how beautiful they are!
A set of cement steps (lots of them) bring you to a Body Drop Slide. I was in awe of my daughter as I watched the tube close around her, heard the countdown, and then watched the floor drop from under her as she slid down the steep slide. I didn’t do that one, but I loved the two twisting slides. They were especially fun when you’re racing each other down.
Young kids looked like they were having a blast in the kids’ waterpark. It has water cannons, tipping water buckets, slides, and more.
The island has two spots to eat…the grill and the buffet. The grill has items like burgers, French fries, and hot dogs.
There is also a buffet with salads, potato salad, coleslaw, fish, chicken, desserts, etc. All food on the island is all-you-can-eat! Look at the gorgeous view you have as you eat.
There is also a bar that has cocktails, beer, and soft drinks. Best part…it’s an open bar!
For an extra cost, you can do Sea Treks, Snuba, hair braiding, massages, temporary tattoos, and premium seating.
It is open daily from 10:00- 5:00.
Adults (13+) $119
Kids (4-12) $95
Kids under 4 are free
You can rent beach cabanas and private cabanas but you may want to do it in advance because there was none left when we got there.
They offer daily salsa lessons.
Banana boat rides are offered throughout the day.
Bring a change of clothes. There are outdoor showers to get all the sand and salt off your skin.
You need to bring your own towels.
Don’t forget sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/depalmisland/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/depalmisland
There’s no better place to watch theater than Broadway! Some people think it is an activity that’s only for adults, but I couldn’t disagree more! There are so many great family shows and kids will never forget their first one. However, family + Broadway = $$$ so you might want to plan ahead! Here are 10 tips for taking your kids to a Broadway show:
Photo Credit: Marriott
Our next stop on our mother/daughter Aruba trip was the beautiful Marriott Aruba Ocean Club. We chose to stay here because we wanted a little more space to stretch out after sharing a room for the first two nights. This hotel was more of a condo style, so we had a bit more privacy. We didn’t have far to walk since the hotel is right next door to the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, where we had spent our last two nights.
Photo Credit: Marriott
After a long, cold winter (did I mention LONG?) my thirteen-year-old daughter and I couldn’t wait to get our toes in the sand. We were on our first solo mom/daughter trip outside of the US, and Aruba was the perfect destination for our stay. There are several Marriott hotels on the island and we couldn’t choose which to stay at so we decided to stay at two of them because they were right near each other.
There is something soothing about the ocean. The smell of the salt in the air, the breeze blowing on your skin, and the calming sound of waves crashing on the shore makes you feel present. The coast is my favorite place to visit when in Maine. I couldn’t think of a better place to escape before the madness of end-of-the-school-year activities. The Viewpoint Hotel is a stunning little piece of paradise with unimaginable views. I decided to bring my high school daughter along with me and it was the perfect place for us to relax and recharge.
Click here to read all about our stay.
In May 2019, I attended the Women in Travel Summit in Portland, Maine, and it was an amazing experience. It was my first conference and I was a nervous wreck before I went. As a newbie, I had tons of questions, so I decided to help answer all of them here. Since that first conference, I’ve been lucky to attend Puerto Rico in 2023 and Salt Lake City, Utah in 2024. Looking forward having a fabulous time at this year’s location…New York City! Here are 20 tips for attending the Women in Travel Summit:
Bahamas is a gorgeous Caribbean island that has powder-white sand, emerald water, and a tropical feel. It’s close location to Florida makes it an easy flight. It is perfect for families, couples, girlfriend getaways, solo travelers, and couple’s trips. Here is an itinerary for a perfect week in Nassau, Bahamas.
The best place to fly in is
CLICK HERE TO FIND AN AMAZING FLIGHT
I usually spend my first day in the Caribbean hanging out by the pool/beach of my hotel/rental. Make yourself a cocktail and lounge in the sunshine
In the afternoon, head over to the Straw Market to take in some of the local culture. It’s a great place to buy handwoven straw crafts. (Their baskets are amazing.) It is also a nice place to buy souvenirs.
Photo Credit: Expedia
Take a 25-minute boat ride to the island. So, what is the best thing to do here? SWIM WITH PIGS! I was shocked at how clean the beach/water was with pigs walking around, but it was spotless. They were so adorable and we had fun petting them.
Staying in a hotel can be a really fun experience, however when traveling with kids. It can also get a bit tricky. I put a lot more thought into travel when my kids are with me because I know they require some extra thought. Here are 10 tips for staying in hotels with kids:
Although St. Lucia is often thought of as a honeymoon destination, it is a wonderful island to bring kids. With a little planning, the entire family can spend a fun-filled vacation doing things that everyone can enjoy.
Here are 10 tips for traveling to St. Lucia:
The best place to fly in is Hewanorra International Airport at Vieux Fort (UVF)
