Category Archives: Hotel/Resort

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.

 

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.

Attractions, Family Travel, Hotel/Resort, Restaurants, Road Trip

Family Fun in Savannah

Rich in history and beauty, Savannah is a no-brainer as a fun family destination if you live in the southeast. It ranks right up there close to St. Augustine, if you are making your way south or north on I-95 and need a good overnight spot. Now, I may be a little biased since I lived in Savannah for two years when I was single, but it was always on my must-visit list with my husband and son. We went over President’s Day weekend, and it was unseasonably warm ( like 80 degrees!).

Our first stop was Fort Pulaski. Since it’s a national park, admission is reasonably priced. On the day we were there, admission was free in honor of the holiday. Now there’s a great “See 3 Pass” where you can get discounted admission to your choice of historic or educational sites, and it includes Fort Jackson in its range of choices. However, Fort Jackson is much smaller and doesn’t have the history that Fort Pulaski does. Fort Jackson might be closer to downtown and have daily cannon firings, but Pulaski saw actual battle action and offers a lot more to see and learn. Especially if you’re only in town for one day, I would opt for the slightly longer drive to Pulaski (located on the road to Tybee Island) and choose one of the “See 3” destinations, depending on the ages of your children.

The Georgia State Railroad Museum is also a a great stop for your kids who like transportation. I think it’s fun even for someone who isn’t that much into trains. You might find a new hobby or passion there, because the place is so interesting! Be sure and catch one of the guided tours of the old passenger cars that happen throughout the day. My son and I spent a good hour and a half at this museum but could have easily spent longer. If you’re interested in visiting the Savannah Children’s Museum , be aware that it is adjacent to the Railroad Museum. If you have kiddos interested in both, you should definitely go ahead and buy admission to both. It makes sense.

A walk down River Street is a must. The cobblestones and the steep, uneven staircases can be treacherous, but knowing that you are climbing the same stairs that pirates and merchants used hundreds of years ago is pretty fun. Your children might convince you to board one of the riverboats for a tour or a meal. You have been forewarned. If you’re lucky, you might get to see a freighter ship coming or going. It’s quite the close encounter and pretty neat.

If you have any Brownies or Girl Scouts in your family, you can’t miss the Juliette Gordon Low house, of course. Otherwise, I would save that for a grown up trip, unless your children are way into historic home tours.

As for trolley tours, the green and orange trolley never does us wrong. This is one of those hop-on-hop-off affairs and can be quite handy for seeing as much as possible without moving your car a lot.

Where to eat? Definitely Pirates’ House. This is an experience, even apart from the dining aspect. Check the website for menu choices and times, because you might prefer to go for the lunch buffet while you’re already walking around downtown. This building has been a restaurant for a couple of hundred years, but served as a place for pirates to gather back in the days of yore. Kids get a special hat (that also serves as their menu), but what will entertain them more than anything is the ghost stories and staring down into the old tunnel under the restaurant. There is said to be an underground tunnel that leads all the way down to the waterfront. Legend has it that unsuspecting drunks would pass out at the bar, then be carried through the tunnel to the pirates’ ships. By the time they woke up, they would be out to sea, kidnapped, and enslaved.

If you’re looking for a good pizza, don’t pass up Vinnie VanGogo’s. It was one of my favorites when I lived there, and it’s still the hip place to go for a pie.

Where to stay? If you’re looking to save a few dollars, try a Southside chain hotel. You will be near all the malls and chain restaurants, but with the Truman Parkway, you won’t be terribly far from downtown. There are a few good chains in great downtown locations, too, such as Hampton Inn or Doubletree. But if you’re going to stay downtown, the fun places with ghost stories and local charm are River Street Inn and East Bay Inn. Parking costs in downtown Savannah, whether it’s at your hotel, metered places on the street, or garages.

One more thing – I downloaded the ePass app on my phone, and I do recommend it for a weekend or more. It provides you with discounts and specials all over town for dining, activities, and more. I only used it once – at the Pirates’ House – but it paid for itself after one use.

Contact Azalea Travel to assist you with your travel plans including cruises, group travel, and Disney!

Attractions, Christmas, Disney, Hotel/Resort, Universal Studios

Cabana Bay Beach Resort – an Orlando favorite

20161202_163730

Whether you are visiting Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and the new Volcano Bay water park opening in 2017 or not, the Cabana Bay Beach Resort is a fantastic place to park yourself when in Orlando. As an official Universal hotel that is connected to the parks via shuttle bus service, it certainly has a lot to offer if those attractions are your destination. Aside from that, the 1950s and 1960s decor is so much fun, you might just find yourself wishing we were still living in that era. When you call guest services for things like extra towels, the person on the phone will tell you to “have a swell day” before you hang up. They are all in when it comes to the theme, and I love it!

20161202_155643

On the day my family and I checked in, everything was decked out for Christmas, which made it even more spectacular. The teals, oranges, blues, and crisp whites in the color scheme had me thinking I had just gotten out of one of those classic cars parked out front and left my gigantic hard suitcases in the back seat.

20161203_083309

This lobby is actually one where you might spot a few Universal characters. We saw Scooby Doo wandering through when we first arrived. A few minutes later, we had the most delightful visit with Lucille Ball, who gave my son an extra “free piece of cake” coupon since it was his birthday. The employees and characters go the extra mile and make the place truly special – even down to the folks at the cash register in the gift shop.

20161202_184352

20161202_195518

There are several dining choices at the resort, but we tried Bayliner Diner, which is similar to a food court in that you have many choices, and Galaxy Bowl, because my son had become obsessed with the cosmic bowling on the first night, so we elected to just let him bowl while we ate there on the second night.  There is also a Starbucks, Swizzle Lounge for procuring your adult beverages, and the Hideaway Cafe near the lazy river.

20161202_175136

What a beautiful Florida night this was (see picture above).

We were upgraded to a suite in the Starlight building, which was quite pleasant and welcome, considering I had just booked a standard room with 2 queen beds. We had a small living room, a tall kitchen counter with stools where we could eat, and a small kitchenette with fridge, sink, microwave and Keurig (because let’s face it, some modern conveniences are “the most”). There was a sliding door separating all of that from the bedroom, where we had 2 queen beds and a closet area. The sink and mirror were in the same room, but the toilet had its own room to the left, and the shower plus another sink had their own room to the right. Fantastic set-up with 2 televisions. The rooms do mostly have outer entry, like an old-style motel, but some have interior entry if you prefer that.

20161202_170550

20161202_170518

20161202_172716

20161202_170529

There was more to Cabana Bay Beach Resort that we didn’t even have time to explore, since we were there to enjoy the Universal Parks, too. Speaking of which, there are regular shuttles that run back and forth to the parks and City Walk every 10 to 15 minutes from 7am to 2am. You also get into the parks an hour earlier than the general population, since you are staying at one of Universal’s hotels. This also means you have some dining plan options at your hotel, if you are on the Universal meal plan.

This was such a fun place to stay. I think we would stay there again even if we were not going to the Universal parks, but just visiting Orlando for other reasons.

To book your stay at Cabana Bay, contact Azalea Travel, a proud member of ASTA and CLIA.

Hotel/Resort

Club Med Sandpiper Bay

20160518_170206

All-inclusive resorts are not exactly on every corner in the United States. Club Med Sandpiper Bay is special for that reason and a number of others.

In May, I had the good fortune to attend a travel industry conference at this beautifully landscaped compound in Port St. Lucie, Florida. As you may know, Club Med is a French company, so the resorts have a very European feel to them, whether they are located in Europe or not. In fact, I noticed that a good many guests who were not part of our conference were young European families.

Families are exactly who would do well here, and would be the first category of travelers for whom I would recommend it.

Tucked away on the St. Lucie River, the resort is a quiet respite from busy beach scenes, although you can take a shuttle to the beach if you’re yearning for the oceanside. What Sandpiper Bay does have is a small sandy area on the riverbank where you can relax and watch the boats go by. I wonder if some guests come here, particularly maybe from Europe, with preconceived notions about Florida and are surprised to find that this resort is not on the beach. There’s still plenty to do, though.

20160520_084314

Active travelers can consider the included activities like tennis, trapeze (no, that’s not an auto-correct mistake), or golf lessons. The outstanding kids’ programs are also part of the package. Leave our child with them for the day, and when you go back to pick them up, they’ll be doing impressive circus acts. The pools and surroundings have a luxurious feel to them. Unfortunately, since I was there on business and spent a lot of time in conference rooms,  I didn’t get to enjoy these things as fully as I would have liked. Better planning for the next conference, and I’ll leave some more “me time.”

I did find the food to be quite good. I took most of my meals in the Marketplace, which is a buffet style restaurant that does not disappoint. There are tons of options at every meal, and I did not have anything that tasted less than great. There were always selections to keep both the parents and the kiddos happy. At lunch and dinner, there was a pizza bar, hamburgers and hot dogs, a variety of salads, charcuterie, cheeses and fruits, plus hot entrees and veggies. I know I’m forgetting something. Breakfast had just as many choices. There are other restaurants on the property to choose from, too, including one premium one (extra charge applies).

20160519_193256

The room was nice, particularly for just one person. It was quite large, containing a king bed and a sofa that doubles as a bed for a child. The tile floor was very simple and Florida-ish. My balcony had a nice view of the marina on the St. Lucie River. The buildings were older, but are all undergoing refurbishment or have already been refurbished. The closet was HUGE. Forget your typical hotel room where you step over your bags which are in every corner on the floor. My family could have moved in for a week and had ample space.

20160518_170143

Public areas were very attractive and clean.

Here are some great pros for a vacation at Sandpiper Bay:

  1. You can drive there from Charleston (7 hours away).
  2.  It’s all-inclusive.
  3.  Great golf and tennis.
  4.  Great children’s programs.
  5.  Good food.

Club Med periodically runs some really good specials (like 4th night free or discounts on certain dates). Call Azalea Travel to help you book your Club Med vacation when you’re ready.

Watch the video here: CLUB MED SANDPIPER BAY

 

 

Events, Hotel/Resort, Restaurants

Basic Intro to Aiken, SC

20151229_150605

I took a recent day trip to Aiken, just after Christmas. I once lived in Aiken and have maintained friendships there over the years that keep me going back from time to time.

If you like horses, then surely you already know of Aiken’s identity as the “Horse Capital of the South.”  Also considered “America’s Polo Capital” due to its establishment as a winter colony for wealthy elites from up north who came to play polo, it is also the training grounds for stellar Thoroughbred race horses such as Dogwood Stables’ Preakness winner Summer Squall and Belmont Stakes winner, Palace Malice.

During times of the year when the horses and jockeys are training, you can drive into the grounds of one of the tracks on Two Notch Road to watch them train in the early morning. Ease up to the rail, without being loud or obtrusive, and you will be able to feel the pounding of the ground underneath you as the sleek, gorgeous beasts effortlessly gallop past you on the track. You will hear and see the puff of their breath as the riders breeze them down the track.  Afterward, head around the corner to the Track Kitchen for breakfast. This is an authentic Aiken experience that has been enjoyed by locals for quite some time. It’s a little green and white building on Mead Avenue that you might miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for. My grandparents lived in this same neighborhood, and my grandfather took me on this excursion on a few chilly mornings, way back when.

My grandparents’ old home, which was also where I had my wedding:

20151229_132903

If you’re up for an actual race event, check out one of Aiken’s Triple Crown events in the spring. Here I am at last year’s Steeplechase.

20150321_132201

Now, moving on to lovely, hip downtown Aiken…

20151229_131942

There’s so much to downtown Aiken in the way of shopping and dining that I can’t really fit it all in here. But that area has been sort of revitalized (if it really needed revitalization) and has acquired some cool, funky spots like the Mellow Mushroom, where I ate lunch.

20151229_131804

20151229_131713

I would be remiss if I did not mention the Willcox, a historic hotel where my husband and I spent part of our honeymoon. It is a grand old inn that once hosted Winston Churchill, among others of note. The gorgeous rooms are all very special, but no, I don’t have any pictures of our honeymoon suite. It was before the days of camera phones when taking pictures was a little more of a deliberate notion, so I didn’t think to snap any pics of the room to toss up on Facebook. But think of a four poster bed, luxurious furnishings pointed toward a working fireplace, and a bay window looking out at some of Aiken’s beautiful magnolia trees. There’s also a fabulous restaurant at the Willcox, where I dined many times over the years.  Most notably, I went to the Aiken High School prom with a friend when I was 17, and we had dinner there. It was always an upscale experience, as you would expect by looking at the outside of the hotel.  If you take a look at their website, you’ll see that it’s now part of the Southern Living Hotel Collection, and that Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast are pretty big fans of the place. In fact, a stay at the Willcox, by itself, makes for a nice celebration of a special occasion.

20151229_150605

As always, you can call on Azalea Travel to book your stay there. You won’t be sorry.  And you won’t be disappointed in Aiken. It happens to be one of my very favorite towns in the south. I have not done the place justice with my little hack smartphone pictures in this post.

Attractions, Disney, Hotel/Resort

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

I’ve been booking a lot of Disney trips for folks lately, and it definitely has me in a Disney state of mind!  If you’re looking to go to Disney World on a shoestring, a good place to start is staying at one of the Value Resorts.  The Pop Century is one of the newer Value resorts, and everything you might have ever wanted to know about it is right here:

Pop Century

For questions or booking information, call the College of Disney Knowledge graduate at Azalea Travel!

 

pop century mickey phone

Hotel/Resort

Greenwood, South Carolina – Part 1

20151023_153158

I’ve been following Uptown Greenwood on Facebook for some time now, and I’m impressed with what I see.  There are so many little towns in South Carolina that had their heyday decades ago – or even 100 years ago – and need revitalizing now. And revitalization is exactly what’s happening in Greenwood. The recent reopening of the Inn on the Square was just at the beginning of October. But the most recent breath of life is the grand opening of the Carolina Executive Car at the Railroad Historical Center on Friday night. That train car was once my great grandfather’s office on wheels. However, I will cover that in Part 2 of this post. I’m focusing on the Inn on the Square today.

20151023_152742

20151023_152821

I think this hotel is doing incredibly well to have just opened its doors again on October 1. I told them so. I can’t be sure, but it’s possible that I may have been the first person to stay in my room since the renovation. My only hint at this is that a man from the cable company had to come into my room and program my television.

20151023_153655

20151023_154410

20151023_153719

While there was no mini-fridge and no microwave, I’m betting those will be added soon. In the meantime, everything is freshly painted and ready for guests to relax and enjoy. I did suggest that they add another towel bar and a hook in the bathroom for convenience. But I was just fine as it was. One thing I think is interesting is the shower. There’s no shower curtain to collect mildew or to gross out the germophobes. There’s simply a fixed glass pane. The shower is a fresh, modern touch in a vintage hotel.

20151023_153752

20151023_153743

The bed was comfortable, the desk was sufficient, and the big armchair in the corner was plush and lovely. My parents’ room on the front of the building had a view of the street. My room on the back had a view of the roof over the reception room. But the views are not the reason you would come to this hotel. If you want a nice view, you would go to the beach or mountains.  This is a bustling downtown area.

The Dining Room

20151023_165400

The service in the Carriage House dining room was fantastic. The wait staff makes it a very personal experience and works hard to please. But Tom, the maitre d’, absolutely makes the experience. Attentive to every request, he treats guests as if each one is a VIP, while maintaining an entertaining and appropriate sense of humor. I hope they hold on to Tom, because he really makes the experience. As far as the food is concerned, everything we had was absolutely delicious. My shrimp and grits was not too saucy, as some are. My mother raved about the monkfish, and my father (a lifelong fisherman, chef of his own catch, and connoisseur of seafood) proclaimed that the tuna was prepared as it is supposed to be, and was delicious. In fact, he was too full to finish and told the waitress, “I hope you have a favorite cat who will get these scraps, because this is too good to throw away.” If you are a guest at the inn, breakfast is complimentary. And this breakfast is no Hampton Inn buffet, let me tell you. You will be seated and served your choice from the menu. The presentation of the food is beautiful, the portions are more than ample, and it’s all fabulous. I believe the restaurant was my favorite part of this delightful little boutique hotel.

Now, there is also a lounge called the Fox & Hound, which was originally a tavern before. This is where the majority of the ghost stories about the hotel originate. I didn’t have a reason to go into the lounge, so I can’t verify whether the ghost (dubbed Bill) actually taps people on the shoulder.

I think it’s important to mention that not only had the hotel just opened a couple of weeks before we were there, but there was also a wedding party staying there. The rehearsal dinner was in this rustically elegant room downstairs on Friday night:

20151023_165341

The reception was on Saturday was also held at the hotel. Not once did I feel slighted or like I was not receiving the attention I needed from hotel staff. They were eager to please and enthusiastically accepted my suggestions about additional towel bars for the bathrooms. They still have a little polishing to do (a dried drop of paint on the floor in my bathroom, etc), but that is to be expected for a newly-renovated place. The public areas are perfect.

I will definitely stay at the Inn on the Square again, and will confidently send clients there.

Azalea Travel Agency

Attractions, Hotel/Resort, Restaurants, River Cruises, Shopping

Delightful Days in Wilmington, NC

If you live in the Carolinas, the ancient port city of Wilmington makes a great weekend destination. If you have been hitting up the same Savannah-Hilton Head-Myrtle Beach-etc. weekend spots over and over, why not try something different? There’s a little too much to see to just take a day trip. Historic and charming, Wilmington is often overlooked in favor of its southern sisters Charleston and Savannah, I think, but is definitely worth every minute you spend there, and probably many more.

Things to Do

20151019_124702

My favorite spot was the antebellum Bellamy Mansion last time I visited Wilmington. If you are a preservation buff or if you just like grand old homes, this is a must-see. The admission is not steep at all, and the architecture alone evokes a true portrait of life in the past. Back with the Tide is a fascinating little book written by Ellen Bellamy, the last Bellamy family member to live in the house. It makes a nice keepsake from your visit at just around $10 and offers a personal memoir of her days in the mansion.  The picture below is of a little stage on one of the upper floors of the house.  Children who lived in the house would use it as a stage to perform plays.

20151019_124849

A couple of other attractions include the Battleship North Carolina and the Wilmington Railroad Museum.  If it’s a tour you’re looking for, you might want to try the Cape Fear Riverboat Tours or a Segway Tour.  If you’re into ghosts, the Haunted Cotton Exchange Tour can hook you up with chills and a little humor. But call ahead to make reservations. The tour guide will only come out if she has pre-sold tickets.

Shopping

Walking around in downtown Wilmington is just a delight in itself. The buildings and streets remind me of Charleston and Savannah with the charm of the old world and a glimpse into trade in centuries past. (Explore a map of shops here.)  No matter who you are, you’re almost certain to find a shop that suits your fancy. And you know, wherever I go, if there is a good book store, I must find it. I found it here: Two Sisters Bookery.

Dining

20151019_124550

As you can see in the picture, my friend and I enjoyed lunch on a wrought iron balcony at Roy’s Riverboat Landing. The picture is a little dark due to an overcast day and a less than stellar camera, but you can take my word for it that we were very pleased with every aspect of lunch. The little balcony is just the right size for a table for two, and it’s delightful when the weather is right. The picture below is the front of the restaurant. One of the side balconies on the second floor is where we sat.

20151019_124618

Hotels

If you don’t stay overnight, you are cheating yourself.  And the ghost tours happen at night, if that’s one of your objectives. If you prefer a hotel chain, Courtyard by Marriott has a location in the downtown area and offers a reliable product with spacious rooms and suites.  Hilton Wilmington Riverside also has a nice location. But if a more intimate, charming setting is what you seek, then the Port City Guest House is a lovely B&B near the Bellamy Mansion.

For One Tree Hill fans

These stairs were used in at least one episode.

20151019_124636

Okay, I’ll admit to watching a few episodes. I was in law school at the time and didn’t have cable. I would come home from a long afternoon in the library and look for something to watch while I ate dinner. And a little bit of unrealistic, cheesy teen drama that left me asking Where is the parental supervision?! was sometimes just what I needed to unwind.  Please don’t judge me.  So anyway, if you want to check out some of the spots where the show was filmed and do a little self-guided tour, here are a couple of resources:

A local perspective – http://wilmingtonishome.weebly.com/one-tree-hill.html

And a fan page – http://onetreehillweb.net/show-filming.html

So, what do you think? Are you ready to go this weekend?  Contact Azalea Travel to help you make your plans!

Beach, Hotel/Resort

Heaven is a Cabana Room at The King and Prince

20141122_164706

Let me begin by saying that I will probably have to blog about The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort more than once, because one blog post will simply not be enough to do it justice. This has become my favorite hotel, and I hope to return frequently. That being said, I’ll just focus for now on their exclusive and fabulous Cabana Room. Now, back to where it all began . . .

Once in my twenties, I visited a friend at her family’s beach house on St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. As we struck out to do some shopping one day, my friend drove me past The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort. Elegance and luxury just seemed to spill out of its gates. I thought, “I want to go there.” There was something so glamorous about it, in an early 20th century way. At first glance, I could almost see the decades of elegant parties and merry vacations that had taken place there.

20141122_133322

(The Cabana Rooms are lined up on the first floor, with other ocean front rooms above.)

I finally made it there for my 42nd birthday, and my only regret is that I didn’t go sooner. Since it was a special occasion and I had waited nearly 20 years to make my first visit, we sprang for the Cabana Room. I thought the notion of being able to step out on to my own patio, then walk straight to the ocean sounded quite wonderful. And it turns out I was right. It couldn’t be more magical and serene.

20141122_164639

(A wonderful room in every way.)

The first thing you should know about the Cabana Room is that it is a room for two. All Cabana Rooms have a king bed, due to the size. Size is not where the grandeur of the room lies. The space is, however, impeccably appointed and optimally arranged. From the bedroom area, you step down, with the assistance of a short yet stylish wrought iron railing, into the sitting area. Here, you will find a comfortable sofa for viewing the second flat screen television (the first being in the bedroom area) and a large coffee table. The tile floor in the sitting area is quite practical for sandy shoes, as there is also a set of French doors with a screened door which leads to your own patio. And the ocean is just feet away. From your patio, you are free to step right down the brick stairs and walk out to the beach or to another part of the resort. You room key will give you access from either this door or the interior hallway. So when you’re returning from the beach, from the pool, from dinner, or anywhere else, you have the option of entering through your patio door.

20141122_133211

(Our patio.)

20141122_133329

(The walkway to the beach access in front of the historic building.)

I fell in love with this room at once. Sitting with the French doors open where I could hear the pounding surf and see ships go by, it occurred to me that I could live right here and be quite happy.

20141122_133152

(View of the swing and the ocean from our patio.)

Of course, everything at The King and Prince is top notch, and you can’t go wrong with any room category. And just like you would expect from any modern hotel room of this ilk, you will find the hairdryer, the in-room safe, and all that jazz. No comfort is missing. The service at the hotel is unmatched, and the room service staff and front desk staff were particularly fantastic when we were there.

I came home from that first trip raving about the Cabana Room so much that my parents visited a couple of months later. It wasn’t long before we all went back at the same time. Since my husband and I had our son with us this time, we took a partial ocean view room in the historic building. That room was much larger and had two queen beds, but it was more than sufficiently fabulous, as well. Our second floor balcony had a view of the ocean across a parking lot, but tall palmetto trees shielded us from the cars quite well.

Now, as I said before, there’s too much about this dreamy spot to tell in just one blog post. But history buffs will love this hotel in particular, as it played a role in protecting our coast during World War II.  It’s just a fascinating place. When you’re ready to book your stay in a Cabana Room or any other type of room, give me a call. I love to talk about The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort!

Click above or use one of the Azalea Travel links.