Attractions, Disney, Family Travel

When it rains at Disney World

Frequent rain is a fact of life in Florida, and therefore, at Disney. But Disney is still the happiest place on Earth, even during a little shower! Rain ponchos are on my list of things to take when clients ask me what they need. Some clients look at me funny, as if to say, “How do you know what the weather will be like 6 months from now?” I know some of them are thinking that surely Disney World was not built in a place where it rains that often. But it was.

Stop! Don’t go back to the hotel! Wait it out, and you’ll be glad.

Many people will tuck tail and run to the bus depot as fast as possible, looking to get back to their hotels. Nine times out of ten, they will find that the shower has stopped before they arrive. Most Orlando rain is short-lived. You do best by waiting it out. Take shelter somewhere in a gift shop, get a cold drink in a restaurant, or stand under an overhang. After the rain has passed, you might be able to get on some rides with a shorter wait or at least enjoy a slightly less crowded park.

Doesn’t everything shut down in the rain? No! Some rides with outdoor tracks may become unsafe and close temporarily, but indoor rides will continue to run.

Is there a rainy season? Anyone who lives in the south will tell you that we get more rain in the summer months. Florida has a lot more summer than some of the rest of us, though, and one of the worst downpours I have ever seen was at Hollywood Studios in January of 2015. There are no guarantees. We have also had a trip down there where it didn’t rain a single drop the whole time we were there.

Where can you seek shelter? If you’re at Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s Philharmagic is always a good spot to get in a line inside that wasn’t previously backed up with a wait. Many rides like Pirates of the Caribbean have long, covered areas for waiting. Get in line somewhere like that, if you can! Epcot is one of the most open parks, but World Showcase has its fair share of shops, restaurants, and covered areas (like the temple in China). Hollywood Studios is full of theaters and shows. It’s a great place to hide from short showers. Be aware, though, that the front part of the park will flood if the rain is unusually heavy for an hour or so. We have slogged through it before. We had been watching the Indiana Jones stunt show when they had to stop, because rain was blowing into the covered but open area where the stunts were being performed. It became dangerous for the performers. Animal Kingdom also has some shows inside theaters like the Nemo production. If one of these is nearby, make a run for it. A few rides also have covered lines.

The cardinal rule, though, is don’t forget your ponchos. We were just there a few weeks ago, and my husband decided to go back to the hotel while my son and I stayed in the park. We forgot the ponchos were in my husband’s backpack! My son and I were the last people to get off the Haunted Mansion ride before it was stopped, because there was a big backup of people (wearing their ponchos!!) who were standing at the door, afraid to go into the rain. Disney Cast Members were politely trying to shoo them out the door so they could start the ride again. My son and I realized our mistake in letting Daddy leave with our stuff, but knew we would have to make a run for it in the downpour without our waterproof gear anyway. We did it. It was fine. We got to Peter Pan quickly, where we had a fastpass, thank goodness. It had stopped raining by the time we finished on Peter Pan. We got a bit damp to say the least, but we dried out in no time in the warm Florida weather.

Wet rats, smiling and happy, after the rain.

We saw a few families in one of the gift shops on Main Street USA buying new shirts so they could be dry. It’s a great excuse to buy a new shirt! My son got a new shirt, but it wasn’t because he felt he needed to get dry. It was just because he needed a new Disney shirt.

Just be prepared, go with it, and you’ll have a ball!

To book your next Disney trip, call the two-time College of Disney Knowledge graduate at Azalea Travel.

Cruises, Family Travel, Group Travel, Road Trip

Driving to the Port of Miami -or- Another Adventure

Some people think about getting into the travel business for “all the free travel and great discounts.” That was a good reason to get into this business 20 years ago, but those opportunities are a small fraction of what they used to be. Still, every now and then, an agent gets thrown a bone, and it’s incredibly exciting. I had an offer I could not refuse a couple of years ago. A seven night cruise from Miami was mine for the taking, and all I had to do was get there. No one could go with me, sadly, as I didn’t have a lot of notice. Plane fare wasn’t all that great at the last minute, either, so it ended up being easier for me to drive down the day before boarding. It’s only 9 hours, and I spent the night at a Hampton Inn when I was about 90 miles outside of Miami.

Now, I lived in Atlanta for six years, so traffic and cities don’t scare me. Also, my husband is from Miami, so it’s somewhat familiar to me. But I was alone and using printed directions. Yes, you read that correctly. This low tech middle aged person was using printed directions, not a GPS, not even the nice lady on my phone who I have since come to trust. I’m such a fuddy duddy when it comes to new things, that two years ago, I was still clutching my Mapquest printout from my home printer.

As you come into downtown Miami, there are two ways you can get to the port, one of which involves a tunnel. I had planned to take the tunnel since it’s the easier route, but a digital sign warned me that the tunnel was CLOSED. That’s okay, I thought, I’ll go the other way. (I later found out from others who ignored the digital sign that the tunnel was, in fact, open, and the sign was in error. C’est la vie.) So as I drove down an exit ramp trying to read my shuffled Mapquest papers for the secondary route I didn’t think I’d have to know, I might have panicked a little.

I took a wrong turn. I realized it quickly enough, because the water was now on the wrong side of the road, which was mercifully quiet on a Sunday morning. In fact, when I turned onto a side street to turn around, the street was downright abandoned. Not completely, though. I bypassed one turn-around spot as soon as I realized it was filled with those little tricked-out, low rider, neon colored cars with the black lights underneath them. I had stumbled onto a real life scene straight out of Fast & Furious. Drivers were standing around talking to one another, nodding, getting into their cars, revving engines and such. So I went to the next place suitable for turning around and did so. Meantime, several of the cars took off at high speed with their high-pitched engines screaming. I had one of those moments where you think you might be dreaming, because you’re just a forty-something suburban Volvo wagon-driving baseball mom who lives in a rut nine days out of ten and you’re waiting to see if Vin Diesel gets out of one of those cars or if you get somehow tangled up in it all and arrested for being on the wrong road and have to call your mother-in-law to bail you out of jail. But I digress in a run-on sentence. I turned around and got back on track. Thankfully, there was no race or car chase to entangle me.

Next, I turned into the port. Now, without a second person in the car to help me look, I followed signs the best I could watched for an entrance to Parking Lot E, which was directly across from my ship’s terminal. But the next thing I knew, I was in front of the next parking lot and terminal, and no entrance had made itself known. I figured there must be a way to loop around, and I was right. So I did. But keep in mind that there are about 6 or 8 ships all lined up there, so it’s not a short drive to make one loop. Then I did it again, and again. “Look kids, Big Ben. Parliament,” I said to the empty seats in the car with me. On the third or fourth round, I decided to take the next lot, marked Lot 2. That was a good decision, because apparently E and 2 are the same thing at the Port of Miami. So I got a plum spot right across from the ship, and off I went.

So it’s really not that bad. If I hadn’t been alone, I might not have felt panicky here and there. But believe me, if I can drive down there and find it by myself, anyone can do it. If you have someone in the car with you, as most people will when going on a cruise, it has to be twice as easy. And gosh, now that I’ve done it, I consider myself some kind of expert. On my next cruise out of Miami after that one, I arrived by Uber, and I had to give the driver directions. I had apparently driven around that circle more times than he had.

One last thing to remember is that your ship may not return to the same terminal from which it left. In this case, after all of my fretting over getting a good spot, my ship returned to a different terminal on the other end of the port a week later. I ended up taking a shuttle bus back to my car. This was one of those times I repeated all my travel mottos. Be flexible and go with the flow. These things happen. Keep smiling and move on to the next thing. I’ll still get there on time. And I did!

To book your next cruise from Miami or any other port, contact Azalea Travel!

Cruises, Family Travel, Group Travel

First Time Cruiser Series: Disembarkation

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about what happens when you get on the ship. There’s not quite as much to going home as there is to arriving. Let’s begin with the day before, which is your last full day on board. There will likely be a disembarkation talk, or as some folks say, a “debarkation” talk. I’m told that either word is correct, but I prefer the former. So watch the schedule, and attend the talk, if you can. After having been on many cruises myself, I usually still go to them. I’m a little OCD, a big rule follower, and I’m always afraid I’m going to miss something. But here are the big things to know:

  1. You’ll want to put your suitcase out in the hall on the last night, before the appointed time, so it can be taken off the ship for you. Just remember to keep things with you in a carry-on like your meds, passport, change of clothes, toothbrush and what-not. Many a person has sent ALL of their clothes off the night before and had to walk off the ship in a bathrobe! Don’t let this be you.
  2. You’ll receive a customs form in your room on the last night that you will need to fill out. This is where you declare all the goodies you purchased and give the value of them. Keep that with your passport so you can hand it all to the CBP officer in the cruise terminal.
  3. Rise and shine!! Know what time you are supposed to disembark, and get up in plenty of time to get ready, get one last breakfast on the ship, and go to your appointed place to wait. This part varies, depending on which line you’re cruising with. If it’s a smaller, upscale ship like a Windstar, or if you’re in a suite on any of the lines, you may be able to wait in your room until summoned. And recently, I was on the Norwegian Sky and was surprised that we were able to stroll off at our leisure within a certain window. But on my last Carnival cruise, I had to report to a certain dining room with a group of other cruisers until we were called. This may also have been because we had priority disembarkation and were able to get off at 6:45am. This is why it’s good to go to the talk on the last day.  It varies as to where you need to be at what time. All I can tell you is that it’s easier than it was 20 years ago. Back then, it almost always involved a long, uncomfortable wait in a public area on the ship. Many cruise lines have found ways to eliminate that.
  4. After you say goodbye to the crew members standing by and make your way off the ship, you will collect your suitcases that you checked the night before. Now queue up for customs so you can show your passport and hand in your declaration form. There’s usually a bit of standing in line involved here, so be prepared for that.

After that, you’re free to go! You can catch an Uber or the cruise line’s bus to the airport or head to the parking lot if you drove. Next step? Call Azalea Travel to book your next cruise!

Attractions, Disney, Family Travel, Summer, Uncategorized, Universal Studios

Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure

Sometimes my clients say to me, “We’ve done Disney. We want to do something different. How about Universal?” That’s exactly what I said not long ago, when we wanted to go somewhere for my son’s birthday. We enjoyed one day in both parks. Being Disney lovers, we made most of our observations in the form of comparisons against WDW, so some of what I’m going to tell you is a view through that lens.

Universal has the big, scary, intense rides like the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and the Incredible Hulk coaster. Those are too much for me, so I said no thank you to those. But if you like the more intense coasters, Universal is your spot. Without those, there are still some great coasters that are more geared to wimps like me: Flight of the Hippogriff (delightful), Revenge of the Mummy (awesome), and Harry Potter’s Escape from Gringotts. I just don’t do the upside down rides or the ones that drop you thirty stories.

Universal and Islands of Adventure are connected by the Harry Potter train, which is a fun experience. If you purchase the pass that allows you to go into both parks, there’s no reason you can’t tackle both parks in one day happily. Many of the rides are motion simulators, which honestly make me a little sick. If you space them out carefully and choose the ones you’d really like to do, you can avoid motion sickness. The most nausea-inducing one we did was the The Simpsons ride. I just had to close my eyes to avoid hurling. Another trick is to look up at the mechanism moving your vehicle and keep in mind that you are really just in a seat that’s being moved. But for the love of all things Bart, just don’t look at the screen, if you feel sick.  If your equilibrium is not bothered by these rides, then more power to you!

Another ride I really enjoyed was the Jurassic Park River Adventure. A word of advice: wear a poncho, because you will get wet! The big drop is super fun, but it will catch you by surprise.

Unless you’re there in a very slow season, I do recommend getting the Express Line passes if you’re trying to do both parks in one day. But the appeal of all the rides is so very broad that it’s unlikely you would want to do absolutely everything. If you paid the same amount for one day of Disney with a Hopper pass, you’d never be able to do all four parks in one day. But with Universal, it can definitely be done.

Lest you should think it’s all big coasters for older kids and adults, there are sections like Seuss Landing that appeal to the little ones in your family, too. And let’s face it, do you ever really age out of Dr. Seuss? It’s wonderful just to walk through there and imagine you’re in one of his books.

There’s much more to Universal, so don’t hesitate to contact Azalea Travel to help you plan your Universal vacation!

Azalea Travel, Cruises

First Time Cruiser Series: What happens when you board the ship?

If you have the first-time jitters about boarding a cruise ship, never fear. I’m going to walk you through it right now.

If you have the good help and advice of a travel agent who is CLIA accredited, and you are sailing soon, then you may have already heard some of this. I’m going to assume that before you leave home, you will have already checked the list of what you can and cannot take on board, and that you have printed your cruise documents and boarding passes.

So, let’s get started! You have arrived at the port, either by your own vehicle, an Uber or taxi, or a bus. What should you do first? If your driver does not direct you one way or another, look for the place to check your suitcases. If you are using transfers purchased from the cruise line, you may not even have to handle your suitcases at this point. Hopefully, you have already attached the luggage tags that were given to you by the cruise line or your travel agent. (A side note: When you pack your carry-on, remember that you don’t want it to be too heavy. Take only what you think you might need for the first couple of hours, a change of clothes, and any essential medications and toiletries.) The next time you see your suitcase, it will be in your stateroom on the ship later the same day. Please remember to tip the baggage handler who takes your suitcases.

The next thing that you will do is enter the cruise terminal and go through security. This is very similar to the security you go through at the airport. You will need to show your boarding passes and ID.

Now, it’s time to check in. There may or may not be a line, but there usually is. Proceed to one of the agents at the desk to check in. You will present your boarding pass, ID, and the health form that you filled out that morning. If there was not a health form in your boarding documents asking you questions about whether you have had a fever over the previous 72 hours, etc., then you will be handed one at that time to fill out. The agent will give you your room key card, band, medallion, or whatever other item that cruise line has for identification and a room key. Usually, it is a room key card that also serves as your boarding pass.

At this time, chances are that you will sit down in the terminal and wait again until your group is called. This is, again, much like boarding an airplane. The first people to be called will be the ones who have cruised many times with this cruise line and have special status, the ones who need special assistance or are handicapped, or the people who are sailing in the suites. If you book with Carnival, there is something called Faster to the Fun that you can purchase with your shore excursions that shortens your wait a bit. You may be able to catch exciting glimpses of your ship while you wait! Not much longer, and you will be sipping that umbrella drink on the Lido Deck.

When your group is called, you can make your way to the door. There may be an opportunity for you to have your photo taken as you board, which may come before you leave the terminal or right after you’ve boarded the ship. Once you are through the door, you will be directed up a gangplank and onto the ship! There are always friendly crew members standing by to direct you where you need to go. Depending on the cruise line, the time of day, or your status based on the kind of room you have, you may be able to go directly to your room and put your things down. However, it is common for the cruise line to start boarding before the rooms are ready. Many times, the crew is still cleaning and preparing your room for you since they will have just arrived in port that morning. Again, with Carnival’s Faster to the Fun, you can go directly to your room and get your suitcases faster.

If you are not able to go to your room, you will be able to go to one of the restaurants, probably the buffet by the pool, and enjoy some lunch. After lunch, you can wander the ship and familiarize yourself with the various public areas. A member of the crew, perhaps the cruise director, will make an announcement and let everyone know when they can go to their rooms.

Soon it will be time to set sail! Bon voyage!

To book your first cruise (or fiftieth) with the help of a CLIA Accredited Cruise Counselor, contact Azalea Travel.

Hotel/Resort, Uncategorized

Why I decided to try Uber

I’m fairly stubborn about change and trying new things, unless they sound a) completely safe and b) awesome.

So when I started hearing about this whole Uber thing a few years back, I gave it a dubious side-eye. It’s not a taxi. I’m supposed to get in the car with some random stranger and let them give me a ride? I wasn’t having any of that. Even as it became more commonplace and almost everyone I knew was using Uber (and now Lyft), I just couldn’t do it.

So when I met up with a friend a few months ago in Miami, her suggestion that we get an Uber to the hotel was met with my sour frown and (I thought) very sensible suggestion that we go to the Super Shuttle kiosk. Here begins the adventure.

We loaded up into the appropriate shuttle bus going to downtown hotels near the cruise port. There were a mother & daughter, a senior couple, a younger couple, and my friend and I brought up the rear in the back seat. The ride from the airport was short and easy, and before we knew it, were turning in front of a Courtyard Hotel. The older gentleman said, “Oh, that must be our hotel.” But the driver continued and pulled into the Doubletree next door.

The mother and daughter hopped out and went to the back to retrieve their bags. The older couple also got out, but after brief discussion, they got back into the van. “We could just walk over there,” the husband said, but the driver insisted in broken English (because this is Miami), “No, I take you.” Okay, then.

Off we went, past the Courtyard and away, in spite of protests from the older couple to stop. It wasn’t long before we pulled up in front of a Holiday Inn. Being right after Hurricane Irma, this particular hotel had flooded and was boarded up. The driver turned around and said, “Dave?” No one answered. Again he called, “Dave?” Silence. The driver looked at his iPad worriedly.

Finally, the older gentleman spoke up and said, “My name is Dale, not Dave. This isn’t my hotel, because you passed my hotel back there, but aside from that, I don’t think this is anyone’s hotel!” The driver assessed the boarded doors and windows and seemingly nodded in agreement. And then, again, he called, “Dave?”

Well, all the passengers started to look at each other and chuckle at this point. So the driver, not fully convinced that DAVE was not on board and somehow holding out on him, proceeded to look each passenger in the eye individually and ask, “Dave?” We each replied with a “no” and our own names. The older gentleman again stressed that his name was Dale and he was due at the Courtyard, not the Holiday Inn.

The driver made a phone call that I could not hear, then finally turned off his flashers and abandoned the idea that anyone was going to the Holiday Inn except maybe ServPro. He dropped the younger couple at a Hyatt. They turned to the rest of us with raised eyebrows and said, “Good luck!” My friend and I were next. He took us to the elegant J.W. Marriott on Biscayne Bay, and all was well for us.

I bid adieu to the older couple, our fellow players in this Miami transportation comedy. Dale (not Dave) assured me that the driver had finally agreed to take them to the Courtyard, so I was able to sleep that night, not wondering whether they were still driving the streets of Miami looking for Dave.

But the next morning, when we were charged with getting to the cruise terminal, I said to my friend, “Yeah . . . let’s do that Uber thing.”

That was another foreign language comedy because . . . well, Miami.  It was almost as exciting as being asked 48 times whether my name was Dave. So the real moral of the story here can be best described as, “Buy the cruise line’s transfers.” But those are not always available, so I would prefer an Uber to a shuttle service in the future. It will get you there faster anyway, and our very short ride from the hotel to the cruise port was less than $3.

To book your next cruise (ahem, along with the transfers), contact Azalea Travel.

 

Family Travel, Group Travel, travel philosophy, Uncategorized

You don’t always see a monkey in the rainforest.

About twenty years ago, I traveled to Costa Rica with a bunch of fellow travel agents. It was a whirlwind trip – not much more than a long weekend – and we were on a tight schedule of hotel inspections and fly-by experiences. On one afternoon, we had the choice between taking a dip in the hot springs at a volcano or hiking through the rainforest. The hike sounded more my speed, and I had all kinds of romantic ideas about seeing giant snakes (from a safe distance) wrapped around trees. I especially wanted to see some monkeys swinging to and fro.

After a long bus ride to a lodge at the foot of a mountain, we set off into the jungle, as it were, and listened to the guide tell us interesting things about the foliage and the forest itself. I kept my eyes peeled. Sometimes we were on boardwalks, and other times we were on a little worn path on the forest floor.  I walked carefully, but I kept glancing up and around to see if I could spot monkeys.

We went on like this for an hour or more.

I think I saw one or two interesting birds, but nothing I would consider exciting. Certainly no monkeys. I was a little disappointed.

But then I thought cheerfully, I can still say I’ve hiked in a Costa Rican rainforest. And it was beautiful, cool, and damp in there. I learned a thing or two about the forest and the plants. I have met some nice new people here, and I have walked across different soil than my own back home.  Who can complain?

That’s the point, isn’t it? We may have things that we want to see or do and then be disappointed when reality is different from what we dreamed. But we have to be flexible and look at what we did get to do and see. When you set off to see a new place, it may look different from what you expected. That’s one reason we travel: so we can know what it’s really like.

We rode back to the resort, and I felt grateful for all of the experiences I’d had that day. And just as we turned into the gate, the driver exclaimed for us to look up. Guess what was hanging around in the trees? A whole bunch of monkeys! What a delight – I was able to stand outside my hotel room and enjoy them for far longer than I might have on that hike.

I got my monkeys, but they were hanging over a parking lot instead of swinging from vine to vine in the rainforest.

So be cheerful and flexible when you travel. With a good attitude, you may be surprised at the experiences you do have, even if they turn out differently from what you expected.

 

Book your Costa Rica tour or cruise with Azalea Travel.

Attractions, Family Travel, Hotel/Resort, Legoland

Legoland Hotel – Where everything is AWESOME

I’ve had a number of questions recently about the Legoland Hotel in Florida. When we were there last, they were building the Beach Retreat. That’s completed now, and apparently they are really pushing it. I can’t really address the questions about the Beach Retreat fully since we stayed at the Legoland Hotel, but I do know a few reasons why I would choose to stay at Legoland Hotel again.

  1. It’s right at the front gate to the park, and the Beach Retreat is a half mile away by shuttle bus.
  2.  There is a castle in the lobby.
  3.  The elevator turns into a mini disco club when the doors close.
  4.  There are Master Builder classes right off the lobby, and they are free! You just have to sign your child up for a time slot. These may eventually be offered at the Beach Retreat, but I haven’t heard.
  5.  Beach Retreat is a spread-out village of cottages. At Legoland Hotel, though, everything is in one building. There’s no trek to get something to eat. It’s just downstairs.

 

The picture above is the hallway outside our room. I have to say that I was a little concerned that our son would think this was all too young for him, since he was turning 9 the weekend we were there. I was dead wrong. He loved it.

LEGOLAND Hotel is a child’s dream of a hotel. The decor is over the top, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. Everything is LEGO’d out, and the children love it! Even the lowest category of room is a suite of sorts, with the children having their own area with bunk beds and a TV by the door. The bathroom comes next, followed by the parents’ area, which includes a king sized bed. The parents’ area is a little more toned down (notice I said “a little”) with fun LEGO accents hanging here and there on the wall. The children’s sleeping area, however, is decked out in its theme.

Here is a picture of the wall opposite the bunk bed in the children’s room:

Even the specially ordered carpet gives you something to ponder. I wondered whether I would be able to sleep restfully with this much stimulation all around. This was one reason I only booked one night. However, I found that, as Emmett says in the LEGO movie, everything was AWESOME. One night, though, and I was thankful to move on to a more sedate and less ornate environment.

Room themes include Kingdom (medieval castle), Adventure (Egyptian/archaeologist), Pirate (self-explanatory), and Friends(the pink and purple girly LEGO characters). My son chose Kingdom theme, so the pictures you see here from our room reflect that theme. Each floor has one theme, so that from the time you step off the elevator, you are in Kingdom mode, or Adventure mode, or whatever.

And the elevator is an attraction all by itself, as I mentioned above. When the doors open, you notice that there is wallpaper of LEGO figures dancing and doing different activities. There is typical elevator music playing, such as “The Girl From Ipanema.” But as soon as the doors slide closed, the party begins! Disco strobe lights flash and songs like “Do the Hustle” or “YMCA” accompany you up or down. You can’t be in a bad mood in this elevator. You must dance, sing, or both. It’s an involuntary reaction. As soon as you reach your floor, the doors open, the overhead light comes on, and the tamer music selection begins again.  It made me laugh every time I rode in it. Best elevator ever.

The Bricks Family Restaurant, adjacent to the lobby, offers a great variety of options on a buffet. Your breakfast buffet is usually included with the price of your stay. The dinner buffet is about $20 per adult and $13 per child, which is a really good value for people who like an “all you can eat” situation. You don’t have to go anywhere, and the food is good. I had a smoked brisket, among other things. The children’s buffet is out in the middle where kiddos can get a plate and serve themselves, while adults can hover around the perimeter and find selections to suit the more grown up palate.

The Skyline Lounge is actually right in the lobby (the lobby being pictured above), and it offers a spot for parents to sit with an adult beverage and watch the children enjoying all that the giant castle has to offer. You can also order from a menu and enjoy table service in this restaurant.

The included activities make this hotel an enormous value. Between being 150 steps from the entrance to the park, having close parking, included breakfast, early entry to the park, and these classes and activities, it doesn’t make sense to NOT stay there for at least the first night. There are Master Builder Classes, a pajama dance party, and other design/build activities going on in the lobby per the schedule for the day.

The employees are so nice and friendly that you will find yourself comparing them to Disney cast members.  The restaurant staff, bellmen/valets, and front desk folks are hard to beat. The characters walking around in the hotel lobby make the experience even more special and fun for the kids.

Your children will be really bummed when it’s time to check out.

Contact Azalea Travel to book your LEGOLAND vacation, and be on the lookout for another post about the LEGOLAND park.

Azalea Travel is a proud member of CLIA and ASTA.

Europe, Literary Destinations

That time I accidentally trod upon Jane Austen

My son found my 6 hour VHS Pride and Prejudice box set this week (you know, the one with Colin Firth), and insisted we watch it together, much to my delight. So each night this week, we watched some of it until we completed it this morning. It got me in the mind of the time I accidentally stood on Jane Austen. In case you’re in the dark, she was the author of the novel, Pride and Prejudice, of which the movie is a faithful depiction.

When I visited England with my family just after graduating from college in 1994, I was particularly fond of all the stops that involved writers I had studied in the course of my English Literature and Creative Writing major. More on those in another post.

But when we visited Winchester Cathedral, my attention was suddenly captured by a window dedicated to the memory of Jane Austen. It’s a beautiful church, to be sure, as are just about all of the old churches in England. I excitedly abandoned whatever I had been admiring and dashed between pews to read the plaque. I looked up, rapt in study, until I was satisfied to step back slowly. It was only then that I looked down and realized that someone was buried under the church floor, as they are apt to do in some European churches. I had been standing on someone’s grave, much to my regret and surprise.

I never know the protocol on this, by the way. If anyone can enlighten me, I’ll be most grateful. I’ve known since I was small that we don’t step or walk upon graves in a cemetery, as it is disrespectful. But what are we to do when someone is actually buried in a floor? Floors are made for walking and standing. Are we to tiptoe around and not step directly on the person’s final resting place? I know not. But my tendency is certainly to err on the side of respect and caution, avoiding the flat stone marking the grave.

But as I stepped back from this particular stone, I saw that it was not just someone buried there. It was Jane herself.  I leapt off quickly, apologizing to her silently. I am sure I was not the first or last to stand on her. But while I am deeply sorry for having trod upon her unintentionally, I am also honored to have been at her final resting place, given my great love for her most famous work.

-Perrin Cothran Conrad, Azalea Travel

Attractions, Beach, Family Travel, Road Trip, Summer

Good Old Times in St. Augustine

History, beaches, beautiful architecture, shopping, and fun are some of things you will find in St. Augustine. I’ve been trying to think of a category of traveler who would not find something to do in this fascinating Florida gem of a city, and I can’t.

There are so many things to choose from (museums, historic homes, activities, and tours) that it might just make your head swim. One thing my family did there recently was buy the Old Town Trolley passes. I thought it was a great way to get an overview of the city, get our bearings, and figure out what we wanted to do. It also helps you find free parking in a place where that sort of thing comes at a premium. The trolley passes are good for three consecutive days, so you can use them for transportation in addition to getting background info on all the famous haunts in the oldest city.

One of the places we visited was Castillo de San Marcos. Now, being from Charleston, I always think that if there’s a fort somewhere, I have to see it. But honestly, now that I’m in my mid-40s, I have come to realize that if you’ve seen one fort, you’ve seen most of them. Notice that I said “most” and not “all.” Castillo de San Marcos is bigger and has a little more to take in than the majority of forts I have seen. (Although my favorite remains Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, SC.) It offers a unique experience with live performers, areas that are set up to look as though life is carrying on in 1700-something, and stunning views. It’s worth the visit.

There’s a little free museum that you can walk through if you have the trolley passes. It makes for a nice, air-conditioned twenty minute stop. That’s nice when you are visiting in July. The attached gift shop is also a good place to get your alligator heads, all things key lime, and other touristy must-haves.

At the Mission of Nombre de Dios, you will find the Great Cross, which marks the founding of St. Augustine. Visiting this cross and the adjoining cemetery and chapel is actually a free activity, but donations to the Mission are appreciated. It’s so lovely and peaceful that I almost can’t quite describe it. It’s definitely a holy place, and just a special experience. Even if you visit on a hot summer day, it feels cooler and pleasant as you stroll through the cemetery, but that may be in part because of the river on which it borders. I personally feel that no trip to St. Augustine will be complete for me without a stop at this inspirational spot.

We skipped the ever-popular Fountain of Youth, but it was a stop on our trolley tour. We just didn’t have time for everything. I do wish we had made time for the Flagler Museum. Next time.

A walk through the old gates and through the Old City proved fruitful and fun. The Oldest Schoolhouse is on that stretch, along with many fine shops and restaurants. Columbia’s is where all the locals say you simply *must* eat.

Potter’s Wax Museum was one of our favorites. I really thought this was going to be a short stop with little value other than entertainment. But there was great historic value in this visit for the whole family. It was definitely fun, but it was educational, too.

The last thing we did before leaving town was the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum.  Be amazed, be fascinated, and be grossed out at Ripley’s. As you are probably aware, this is a chain, and there are many Ripley’s Museums, but this one was the original. Each location is going to have different things in it, and this one is in an old mansion. There’s a good ghost story that goes along with it, too.

This was a great little summer vacation for my family, but would be nice at any time of year. Due to the great variety of things to do in St. Augustine, I would recommend it to families, couples looking for a romantic getaway, a girls’ weekend for shopping and sightseeing, a guys’ golf weekend, or a nice place for retirees to toodle around.

Contact Azalea Travel for help planning your St. Augustine vacation!

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