I love to explore new places with my family and we have the advantage of living in Florida where weekend adventures are easy and fun. We were excited to finally check out Tampa Bay in March and we had the best time. My daughter even declared that she now wants to live in Tampa when she grows up! (I’m cool with that because it’s only four hours away from Jacksonville. You go, girl!)

We woke up early and drove to Tampa to start our weekend at MOSI, a hands-on family science museum. It happened to be Albert Einstein’s birthday and MOSI was having a special celebration of “Pi” which included a “Pi(e)” eating contest and a “Recite Pi” contest. Annabel rocked that whipped cream and Daniel won second place for reciting 17 numbers past 3.14 and was crowned “Prince of Pi!”

We spent two hours exploring the museum’s exhibits. We walked on the moon, felt a tornado’s wind speed, and discovered the power of magnets. There’s a giant free play area and an on-site cafe so you can take that much needed food break.

We left around 3pm to check into our hotel, the Embassy Suites Convention Center in downtown Tampa. I love the Embassy Suites because the rooms are always large enough for a family of four and there is a complimentary breakfast buffet each morning. And this Tampa location was right next to a street car stop so, after we unpacked and took a break, we left to discover the historic neighborhood Ybor City.

Ybor City is filled with funky and eclectic buildings and some really beautiful Spanish architecture. It has a cool, old-school vibe. We had dinner at the charming italian restaurant Carmine’s and stuffed ourselves with pasta while we watched the start of YBor City’s annual St. Parick’s Day parade. The kids loved the table by the window: People watching to an extreme.

We then walked one block to La Creperia Cafe to experience their famous sweet crepes. We shared a Nutella, banana and fresh strawberry crepe and the apple pie a la mode special. They tasted even better than they looked!

We began our next day at Pinky’s Diner. Annabel has a stuffed dog named “Pinky” and she was obsessed with finally going to Pinky’s namesake diner. One of the coolest parts about having breakfast at Pinky’s is you get to pick out your own unique mug for coffee. Or orange juice.

After we fueled up with eggs and pancakes and bacon (Oh, my!), we were ready to spend a fun day at Busch Gardens! It was a quick 20-minute drive from downtown Tampa and we were blessed with gorgeous weather. I booked the Serengeti Safari experience ahead of time so we checked in and were ready to see some animals up close and personal.

This was definitely one of my favorite animal encounters ever. It was the highlight of my whole Tampa trip and it rivals Animal Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safari Tour in Disney World. We had a small group in a jeep and the tour guide was very knowledgable about all the animals and their habitats. My favorite moment was feeding the giraffes. It almost took my breath away to be that close to my favorite animal. Hi there, gorgeous!

The safari tour is definitely worth the extra money so be sure to book it ahead of time. We loved all the rides and the Iceploration show too. Daniel and Annabel give two thumbs up to the Cheetah Hunt coaster and my favorite ride was the Congo River Rapids. I also appreciated the healthy lunch choices at the food courts and the park is easy to navigate. There is so much to do and Busch Gardens Tampa is really the perfect combination of rides, entertainment, and animal encounters. We had a blast and can’t wait to go back.

When everyone was officially exhausted, we drove back to the hotel for a quick break before heading out to dinner. We picked Jackson’s Bistro because it was a short walk from our hotel and had waterfront dining. The menu has everything under the sun and Hubby and I enjoyed some sushi while the kids had burgers and pasta. But the best part was my glass of wine while enjoying the Harbor view. We then discovered an adorable gelato stand right next door and walked back to our hotel with our sweet treats. It was the perfect ending to a fun family weekend. We can’t wait to come back and see you again soon, Tampa Bay! Thanks for the memories!

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Things to do in Washington, DC with Kids

Things to do in Charleston with Kids

One of the Disney experiences we were most excited about this year was Beast’s castle in the Magic Kingdom and eating at the popular Be Our Guest Restaurant. It would be our first time there since it opened last year. I tried to make dinner reservations, but they were already booked. Boo. The new plan was to wait in line for an early lunch.

But before lunch, we FastPassed “Enchanted Tales with Belle” and had our very first sneak peek inside the castle. I highly recommend this storytime, even if you have to wait in line. We started in Maurice’s cottage and then an enchanted mirror on the wall transforms into a walkway to the castle. It was some seriously awesome Disney magic. We walked into a waiting room where we were greeted by a talking wardrobe. “She” explained that the children would be acting out how Belle and the Beast fell in love. The children all received a part in the play and there were fun props too. Annabel was picked to be a dancing dish and Daniel got a lead role as Belle’s father, Maurice. He did a great job shivering behind an old window.

After the kids were done practicing in the first room, we entered the gorgeous ball room to finally meet Belle. We were greeted by Lumiere who was perched on the fireplace mantle. The lights were lowered as he introduced Belle and she entered the room in her golden ball gown. The kids performed their play and it was too cute for words. Then everyone had the opportunity for one-on-one photos. I think Daniel now has a little crush on the princess. Before we left, all the kids were handed a Beauty and the Beast bookmark.

I rushed over to stand in the long line for the Be Our Guest Restaurant. I sent Hubby and the kids to the Dumbo ride, but after just 30 minutes I texted them to say I had reached the front entrance. It wasn’t a bad wait at all! They joined me and we headed inside to order. Lunch is quick-service and you order your meals from touch-screen kiosks. We used our Magic Bands to sign in and select our food items from a pop-up screen. It was really neat.

(Tip: Look at the menu at home, or while you are waiting in line, so you won’t have to take a long time at the kiosk. The food is all French-inspired and there are a bunch of yummy choices like turkey baguette, vegetable quiche, and braised pork. There is separate kids menu featuring Mickey meatloaf, whole-grain macaroni, and grilled cheese and tomato soup.)

After we placed our orders, we headed into the grand two-story ballroom where we were told to sit anywhere we liked. We grabbed a table near the back so we could see the entire room. There are gorgeous crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and frosted windows that made it look like it’s snowing outside. They keep the lights dimmed for that romantic vibe. It was crowded as the servers weaved between the tables delivering the food. We wondered how they would find us. Then…voila! Ten minutes later a waiter rolled a cart to our table and delivered our meals. We asked them how they found us and we received the perfect Disney answer: “It’s magic!” (Magic Bands, we figured out.)

The food was elegant and delicious. The best part was sharing the amazing chocolate cream puff and strawberry cream cupcake for dessert.  As we left, we passed the colorful stained glass window with the picture of Beauty and the Beast. Definitely check out “Enchanted Tales with Belle” and the Be Our Guest Restaurant the next time you head to Disney’s Magic Kingdom! We had the “beast” time! (Hee. Sorry.)

For Disney World ’14: MagicBands! click HERE.

For Disney World ’14: Frozen Meet-and-Greet click HERE.

For Disney World ’14: Chip ‘N Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long click HERE.

I grew up in Gaithersburg, MD, which is a suburb of our Nation’s Capital. I always tell my kids how lucky I was to take school field trips to the Lincoln Memorial and the National Gallery of Art. At the time, I definitely took it all for granted.

Now that I live in Florida, we only get to visit our Maryland family and friends about once a year. When the kiddos were little, we’d just hang at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, but over this past April break, it was the perfect time to finally make that trek downtown to see some cool Washington, DC sights!

We had half a day on Saturday to introduce Daniel (age 7) and Annabel (age 6) to the city. Since the time was limited, as well as their predicted attention span, I chose one museum, a couple landmark photo ops, and a ride on the Metro as our inaugural experience.

We started off at 9:00 AM at the Shady Grove Metro Stop in Gaithersburg. The DC Metro system is surprisingly very clean and organized. I know some local folks will grump about all the construction and delays, but for a Saturday ride into the city, it was pefect. Plus, the DC Metro is a perfect combination of convenience and a fun experience for the kids!

We took the Red line to the Metro Station where we transferred to the Blue/Orange line. We got off at the Smithsonian stop and walked the short distance to the Air and Space Museum. Along the way we took some fun photos on the National Mall which is that large green space between the United States Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. The Washington Monument splits up the middle. But, wait. What happened to all the lush green grass I remember as a kid? Hmm.

It was crazy crowded because it was Easter Saturday, but the line to enter Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum moved fast. You have to bring your patience and a bottle of water. No other food or drinks are allowed.

We explored the hands-on elements of the “How Things Fly” exhibit and even got photos of the kids in a glider aircraft. They loved walking around and looking at the different planes and shuttles hanging from the giant rafters. There is a 3D movie, but we opted out of that so we’d have more time to check out the different collections and exhibits. Before we left, we visited the museum store to purchase some Astronaut Ice Cream. That was my big memory from when I was a kid. I thought it was the neatest thing to eat what the astronauts did and it rates pretty good in taste for being a block of dried out, crunchy neapolitan ice cream!

It was lunch time, so rather than visit the museum’s food court McDonald’s (or finish off the rest of the Astronaut ice cream), we headed back to the National Mall to find the yummy food trucks. We were blessed with amazing weather, so we plopped under a shady tree and had a picnic. Hubby and I had chicken and veggie gyros. Annabel had a classic hot dog. And Daniel had a small salad. (My picky dude.) Both kids finished it off with froyo in front of the Capitol.

We decided to walk to the White House. The best part was the people watching along the mall. We saw families of bikers and kite flyers and lots of camera phone selfies being taken. By the time we reached the Washington Monument, the kids were tired of walking. Hubby had the brilliant idea to grab a taxi cab for the rest of the journey. The kids were so excited! They had never been in a taxi cab before so they loved watching the meter tick away. (More than Daddy did. Ha.) They were fascinated.

It was a short ride to the sidewalk where we could hop out and head over to see the President’s home. There are always people hanging out there. There was extra noise and activity because workers were setting up for Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll. The beautiful flowers were also in full bloom. DC is such a pretty city.

I wanted to try and make it to the Lincoln Memorial, but the kids were starting to get tired and grumpy. We decided to walk to the Metro Station and take the Red line back home. Daniel had the special treat of seeing a freight train race past us on the way back. He could not wait to tell his friends. You just never know what memories the kids are going to take home with them.

Mine might be that glass of wine I had after a full day downtown. All in all, a great first adventure with the family. Until next time, DC!

Note: We found these cherry blossoms along the mall route. Next time we’ll hit the beautiful Tidal Basin!

Also check out:

Things to do in Tampa Bay with Kids

Things to do in Charleston with Kids

My sister told me about the Chip ‘N Dale Campfire Sing-A-Long when I was planning our first family trip to Walt Disney World. It’s now a “MUST-DO” destination every time we go back. You see, my kids have a special bond with Dale.

(To clear up any confusion, Dale has the big red nose and Chip has one tooth. They are both very cute.)

The nightly fun starts around 7:00 pm (in the spring and summer) at the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground next to the Wilderness Lodge, where we always stay. We take a quick boat ride to Fort Wilderness. You can also take a boat over from Magic Kingdom. If you’re driving, you’ll park at the Outpost. A Fort Wilderness internal bus will take you to the Meadowlands Trading Post stop. From there, it’s a short walk to the campfire spot. You can walk all the way from the front entrance if you like. It will take about 20 minutes. Our favorite part of the evening is the casual hang out time with Chip and Dale while you wait for the campfire to start. Last year, Annabel and Daniel played “Red Light, Green Light” with the pair and this year there was a bucket ball game. We all took turns getting hugs and “selfies” with the cute guys.

(Tip: You should definitely arrive no later than 7:00 pm in order to have the interaction with Chip and Dale. The “official” start time is 8:00 PM, and that’s when it really starts to get crowded. Don’t get turned off by all the transportation it takes to get there. It’s worth it! Just plan accordingly and give yourself plenty of time. It’s a treat just to walk around the beautiful campgrounds.)

After some Chip ‘N Dale playtime, it’s S’MORE time! You can bring your own marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, and sticks or buy a s’mores kit on-site at the Chuckwagon Snack Bar. The folks at Fort Wilderness set up two large open fire pits so you can roast the marshmallows and enjoy your yummy dessert before the sing-a-long begins. Note: They sell hotdogs, nachos, popcorn, and BEER at the snack bar too. Yee-Haw!

A guitar-playing cowboy comes out for the sing-a-long which includes lots of family favorites. We were also all invited to come on down and dance around with Chip and Dale to lots of fun classics like The Hokey Pokey and The Chicken Dance. Chip and Dale will also walk around to shake hands and take photos. They make sure to visit the entire theater in order to meet everyone. And Dale found my kids again. There’s just something about Dale.

After the sing-a-long, it’s time to get cozy for the nightly classic Disney movie. You can find a list of movie titles at the front desk at the Fort Wilderness Resort.  The movies start at dark, or around 9:00 pm, so younger children may not make it. The outdoor theater has benches and bleachers, but families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. We always head out before the movie starts to beat the rush back to our resort. But, once my kids are older, we’ll definitely stay for the cinema under the stars.

(Tip: Dress your kids in sneakers because there is a lot of walking and large stone gravel. I would also suggest comfy blankies, flashlights, and bug spray if you’re staying for the movie.)

The campfire, games, and entertainment are all FREE and happen nightly. It really is a hidden gem that you should be sure to check it out during your next visit to Disney!

For Disney World ’14: MagicBands! click HERE.

For Disney World ’14: Frozen Meet-and-Greet click HERE.

When I look through my iPhone photos, I never know what I’m going to get.  As I pass by all the images I snapped that day, I will often find little surprises like this:

This will continue on for about 20 to 30 more photos.   Some are super blurry.  Some are dark.  Some just show her T-shirt or the top of her head. But they always make me smile.  And the very best surprises are the unexpected videos.

Annabel wants to be a singer/songwriter.  She loves to practice on my iPhone. (Listen carefully for the 1980’s “What I Like About You” mash-up.)  What fun surprises have you found on your iPhone?