When I was a child, our summer vacations were usually a three hour journey from our front door to the door of where we were staying. Most of the time we journeyed to our vacation destination via car and ferry. My sister and I loved that our parents were sharing with us all of the fabulous sites that our province had to offer whether we were camping by a lake, staying in a cottage by the ocean, or exploring the coast in an RV.
For those who love travel as much as I do, every item you curate that makes it into the bag has to be pretty special. These are this year’s unique wanderlust traveler gifts. Some of these are favourite brands we have featured in years past with new additions to their roster and some are fresh and new.
I’m so in love. The 50 shades of blue (you thought I was going to say grey, didn’t you?) of the water, the white sand and above all the service. Where? Beaches Turks and Caicos. Having been to the resort a few times for the Social Media on the Sand conference, I know the resort extremely well. But even so, I learn more every time. Here are some secret travel tips that will help you get even more out of your stay at Beaches.
Whenever we go to Walt Disney World, we try as many hotels as we can. Visiting Coronado Springs Resort was super exciting, as the Invictus Games were being held at ESPN World of Sports while we visited and many of the athletes were on the property. I find that this is one of the beautiful things about Disney – you meet so many interesting people from all walks of life and can learn so much. My kids chatted with a British wheelchair volleyball athlete and watched him remove his prosthetic leg as they stood in awe!
Travelling with kids is a chore, there’s no disputing that. Fortunately even relatively “quick jaunts,” like Toronto to LA, can be made easy if one goes prepared with electronic devices and snacks. But the longer trips? Ones to far off countries? Those are a different story.
Dear Fellow Air Travelers, I’m THAT lady. The one traveling solo. And by solo, I mean without another adult, but with two kids in tow. That’s me, holding up the security line with a five year old who wants to put his backpack on the belt, “By myself!” and a six month old strapped to my chest while attempting to single-handedley fold a stroller. So first, an apology. I’ve been you, the business traveler annoyed because they are trying to make a connection despite kids in your path. You’re anxious to make it to your big meeting, while we’re just excited to get to Grandma’s. So I get your frustration. I really do.
As far as I’m concerned, a trip to California without visiting San Francisco is a missed opportunity. Accordingly, I’m going to share how to have the most epic California road trip with a 10-day-itinerary. You can take out some of the activities as needed to align with the length of time you have for your trip but starting or ending in San Francisco is a must.
For this trip we decided to fly into San Francisco and fly out of Los Angeles but you can also switch this around and do the trip the other way.
There is something decadent and phenomenally special about perfectly formed sushi rolls scattered across a rectangular plate. The chefs at Beaches Turks and Caicos Soy restaurant know this all too well. While at the Beaches Mom’s conference in October I got my first sushi rolling lesson and can say that I’m hooked?!? Like the tuna was that ended up inside covered with spicy sauce! It was unbelievable, you have to try it for yourself. With these handy instructions, you can do so right in the comfort of your own home (though I think you should fly down and try it firsthand, it’s worth it!)
I can remember the smells of my favourite childhood memories. They stick with you, weaving into the happy times and letting them take a stronger hold on your brain. I remember my first trip to Disney, how we all piled into my Aunt and Uncle’s van and went on a big adventure. It was all so magical. Then, later I remember going with my mom and watching my sisters enjoy Disney for the first time. There’s 12 years between me and my younger sisters and seeing them that joyful just made my whole life.
I’ve been having trouble writing about fun and beautiful things. My job as a writer has felt dichotomous with the constant stream of deep, horrific bits of news and political diatribe. The constant narrative in my head: What I may say or think about joyous lifestyle topics can’t matter because we have to be vigilant. We have to focus on women’s rights and conservative theory and global warming. Who needs a new pie recipe when our idyllic world is crashing down around us? It must be irresponsible of me to report on smile-inducing lifestyle items when I am so well known as a sexual assault survivor in a time when I should make my voice heard.