Country with the best food.

Liz Hough on

Are you ready to pack your bags?

 

Favorite Place #3 – Italy

 

Italy is a must when traveling to Europe.  Most people want to visit Italy for its culture, history, and of course, the wine and food!  I am no different than most people.  Some of the best food dishes that I have ever had were in Italy, and it is the one place where I will actually drink wine.  I have been lucky enough to have traveled to Italy on several occasions, even one time when I was in Switzerland we were so close to the border that it felt like we were in Italy.  It truly is an amazing country to visit and these are the places that I enjoyed the most.

 

 

Top 5 Favorite Places in Italy

 

#5   Pompeii – This ancient civilization, that is unearthed more and more each year, is absolutely breath-taking.  Going through people’s homes and seeing how they lived, the interlacing of the city streets, shops, and actual relics that have been unearthed gives one an understanding of how people lived at that time, and it is so well preserved.  Now each time I have visited, we have taken a 3 to 4 hour tour just of Pompeii.  If you really want to see all of Pompeii, you really have to give yourself a good 8 hours or more.  Most tours take you to the known sites, but Pompeii is quite large and you may want to find a tour that will take you to the lesser known areas. 

 

#4   Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo – When I heard that our cruise ship was stopping in Sicily, all I could think of was the Godfather movies and the opera house, which we did see and go inside.  But there was something else that I really wanted to see, Rosalia Lombardo.  Who is this person?  She is an extremely well-preserved two-year girl who died in 1920.  It is unknown why she is so well-preserved, but she is prominently displayed in her own section of the Capuchin Catacombs.  Catacombs aren’t for everyone as they are a reminder that life is short, but I had seen several shows on this particular one in Palermo, so I booked us a tour.  I was pleasantly surprised that most of the Catacomb was not underground and plenty of natural light was coming in.  The paths were clearly defined and the layout of the bones was very well-preserved.  Once we reached Rosalia and saw her in the small glass casket, it seemed surreal and one of the most mysterious things that I have ever seen. 

 

#3   Sorrento city center – Sorrento is usually a stop when traveling the Almafi coast.  It is a beautiful town on top of some cliffs that really give you some amazing views of the sea.  The town center is filled with small alleys leading you to amazing store fronts, and seems to be decorated with the most amazing flower displays.  There are three things that are a must when you go to Sorrento.  First you must consider purchasing some wood art.  This is where the artists use wood to make various scenes of Sorrento and is beautiful and quite unique.  Anything with lemons!  Limoncello is hugely popular in Sorrento and a good place to purchase some really amazing versions of it.  They also have various candies with lemon, which are amazing and not too sour.  Gelato!  When in Italy, gelato is a must!  This is one of the foods that I must try in every Italian city I visit, and Sorrento didn’t disappoint with their gelato.  There is one store right down from the main square that resides in a building right in the middle of two streets.  You can enter from either street and the walls are filled with famous people who have stopped into their store, and when we tried their gelato, I can see why! 

 

#2   The Forum – Rome is a city that has so many amazing historical sites that you won’t be able to see them all in one visit.  We decided to do a private 10-hour tour of Rome to see most of the well-known sites including the Forum.  All I really wanted to see was the Colessum but the first thing we did that day to beat the summer sun, was walk around the Forum.  Immediately I was impressed by the Arch of Titus which is the original arch that the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France is modeled after.  We walked around this ancient Roman civilization for 3 hours seeing mostly city buildings and some homes.  The most impressive part of the forum was when we reached Circus Maximus, where they used to race the chariots.  Looking at this massive site and picturing chariots racing around while people cheered on their favorites, was very impressive to me.  We did visit the Colessum, but I was unimpressed at the size after seeing Circus Maximus. 

 

#1 The Island of Venice –    My first European experience was Venice and from the moment I stepped onto the taxi boat, I fell in love.  As we circled the island you can see the beautiful colorful structures and you are amazed that a city can thrive right in the middle of the water.  Once on the island, there are alleyways following canals, more bridges than I have ever crossed in my life, and around each turn you have the opportunity to take an award winning picture.  As we love our private tours, we opted for one through Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Square and Basilica.  Our private tour of the palace allowed us to go into rooms that aren’t seen by the general public and in the old days were the private rooms of the Doge’s.  Crossing through the Bridge of Sighs was eerie and surreal but I have to say one of the most memorable moments of my life.  When on the island of Venice, one must purchase a masquerade mask.  They are pretty much sold in every store on the island, but the ones you are looking for are made of Paper Mache and not porcelain.  There are a select few artisans on the island who still make them out of paper mache so you will have to ask around where the closet on to your hotel is located.

 

I only briefly talked about the food in Italy, but if you have been there you already know that eating anywhere in Italy is a culinary experience.  Portions are large, and the wine seems to flow like water.  My husband and I always like to find out where the locals eat and eat with them at night.  Eating dinner in Italy means that you will be eating dinner at 10pm, but it is worth the wait.  Every dinner is as least a five course meal including an appetizer, salad, pasta, entrée, and dessert, usually in this order.  Yes, pasta is a course and not the main meal.  You have to also realize that dinner is enjoyed slowly over 2 to 3 hours so there is plenty of time to digest each course.  Like they say, when in Rome, eat like the Romans!

 

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Disney Dining Plan, Is is worth it?

Liz Hough on

Disney easily comes up in conversations with random people I meet, but when they find out I am a travel consultant they always ask me if the Disney Dining Plan is worth the money.  I have read so many different opinions on various Disney blogs, Facebook pages, and travel agent outlets about people’s views on this subject matter.  It seems like people are split, some love it and some say it is a waste of money.  Well, we recently went to Disney and I decided to add the Disney Dining Plan to our package so I could see if it is worth it. 

Before I go into if is it worth or not, I must explain that there are several dining plans available through Disney.  Because of the variety, I am wondering if those who feel that the Dining Plan is not worth the money may have been talked into the wrong Dining Plan for their family, see chart below for quick reference.  Why so many options?  It is easy to understand, there are many cultures and different types of families that go to Disney so they are really catering to everyone.  One family may say that a particular plan has too many meals for their family while another may say this is the perfect amount for us.  I will tell you, that no matter which plan you choose for your family, it will be perfect. 

 

For our family we choose the Disney Dining Plan which includes 1 quick service, 1 table service, and 1 snack per person per night of stay and 1 resort refillable mug.  The refillable mug can be used at your resort.  You cannot use this mug in the parks to get refills, but I will tell you that we did take our mugs along with us to the parks and asked for ice water, which is free.  We then transferred our ice water into the mugs.  With each table service meal, we were able to choose one entrée from the menu, one dessert, and one non-alcoholic beverage.  When you choose an entrée you are not limited to a select menu specifically for those on the dining plan.  You receive the same menu that everyone receives and get to choose any of the entrées including steak or salmon.  Dessert at Disney is fantastic!  It is gourmet and no matter what you choose it will not disappoint.  However, having dessert every day could be a lot for some people, as it was for me.  There is a little known fact that isn’t shared by the wait staff, but some restaurants now allow you to substitute your dessert for an appetizer.  You have to ask your server when you sit down if this is one of the participating restaurants and which appetizers are included, but you may have an option of a salad instead of the that rich chocolate cake.

 

Quick service meals are just like the combo meals that you get at any of your local fast food places, and snacks include a variety of foods including popcorn, cookies, cupcakes, a banana, or the famous Mickey Mouse ice cream bar. 

 

Now the Disney dining plan was the perfect amount of meals and snacks for my family, but some families have teens or growing, hungry children who eat a lot more or need more snacks, so purchasing another plan to fit their family’s needs would be a better option.  I have put together some additional information in the chart below that shows the various dining plans available and what is offered with each dining plan.  This will help make it easier to find what will work best for your family. 

When you purchase a dining plan that has several table services with it, you must make your reservations in advance.  You can start to make your dining reservations up to 180 days prior to your arrival date for the entire length of your day, but not to exceed 10 days of stay.  What this really means is on the 179th day you can call to make your reservations.  I would recommend calling to make your reservations.  It is much faster and you will also be able to make any additional reservations such as Pirate’s League or any tours, all with one phone call.  If you don’t make a reservation in advance, you could be told that the restaurant is full for the day or you may have a two-hour wait.  A two-hour wait with hungry children is not fun for anyone!

 

So are you ready to find out if the dining plan is worth the money?  For a family of four going to Disney for seven nights, who elect the Disney Dining plan, it is a little over $1000.  (Now that is just for the Dining plan, not including park tickets or resort stay.)  For four people on this seven day Disney vacation, it comes to between $33 to $40 per person per day.   One character meal is around this same cost, so if you do one character meal you have paid for your entire day right there!  Even if you are doing non character meals, your meal cost with entrée, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage can easily reach the $40 to $50 range per person.  When you look at the numbers you really see that you are paying for table service but getting a quick service meal and snack for free.  I, personally, find that the dining plan is worth the money and saves me time when we are there.  My meals are planned out, they are paid for, and everyone is happy because the food is so good. 

 

Now, one thing you must know is that tip/gratuity is not included.  The suggested tip is based on your total meal cost prior to deducting your plan.  It is up to you, how much you want to tip unless you are a party of six or more than 18% is automatically added to your bill.  When you receive your bill it will tell you how many of that service you have left.  So if you had six table services to start and just finished eating, then your bill will show that you have five remaining.  You can always get your entire amount of allotted meals from the concierge or guest services area at your hotel.  It is important to note that meals do not roll over after your stay.  If you don’t use them up you will lose them so I highly recommend planning out your meals for each day you are at Disney.  Also, the meals are to be used at your discretion.  If you want two table service meals on one day and two quick service meals another day, it is up to you how you use them, but again, use them up!

 

Next time you are at Disney, consider using one of the dining plans that will work best for your family.  It is well worth the money. 

Don’t forget that at Life is Better Traveling we have a whole Disney Concierge service available for your next Disney vacation.  For a small Disney stress-free vacation planning fee, we will set-up everything for you including your My Disney Experience, dining, FastPasses, tours, Magical Express, and spa services.  You don’t have to plan a thing, we will do it all for you with our daily itineraries that are specific to your family’s Disney needs and wants.  Planning a multi-generational family Disney vacations?  No problem, we will have the whole family enjoy together time and some alone time, that it will be your best Disney vacation yet!  At Life is Better Traveling, we want you connecting with your family and friends and enjoy more of the vacation and less time planning it!  Call us today about your upcoming Disney vacation planning.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

Free Wi-Fi, how to get it when traveling!

Liz Hough on

Are you paying for Wi-Fi when you travel?

How to get Free Wi-Fi…

 

Is Free Wi-Fi important in your hotel stay decision?  I recently read an article about how having free Wi-Fi in your hotel is becoming an increasing popular demand among guests.  Surprisingly, it is not just the millennials who are demanding it but Generation Xer’s and Baby Boomers.  I have to be honest, as I am very connected to my email, internet surfing, Facebook, Twitter, and text messages as it is all right on my phone.  I try to do everything over a Wi-Fi connection so I can keep my data usage down for the month and I get faster downloads.  But I do find every time I stay at a hotel that download speeds are much slower and I am constantly having to sign into the Wi-Fi connection only to be kicked out a minute later.  I can see how easily one can become frustrated and if I were at any of these hotels for a week and needed to do business, I would be very frustrated.

 

So how about hotels where you have to pay for the Wi-Fi?  I have paid for Wi-Fi once when I was at a travel conference and it was very expensive for a day’s use.  I have to admit though that I did have faster speeds compared to when I have used free hotel Wi-Fi.  I think this is why more people are willing to pay for their Wi-Fi upfront in packages that the hotel offers when booking your stay with them.  Yes, I said it.  Hotels are offering packages that includes the room and Wi-Fi use in the pricing.  A packaged deal that more and more people are wanting to buy upfront because it is cheaper to buy it as a package then get to the hotel and pay per day.  Some hotels have a pricing chart for you next to the bed along with the card that says “our company is green and saving water….”.   

Some places want to charge you as much as the cost of a steak dinner just for a one-day use! 

So how do you get around paying extra for Wi-Fi at a hotel?  Find a Panera or local café close to your hotel that provides free Wi-Fi.  Head over there for a cup of tea or coffee and take an hour or two to get some work done or surf the internet.  Also, look for hotels that provide free Wi-Fi.  When you go to book a hotel, check the amenities section of the that specific hotel.  In this section they will tell you if free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel, in their café area, or just in the rooms.  When the hotel has specific areas that it provides Wi-Fi they will typically provide you with a password or passcode to login.  Some hotels will give free Wi-Fi to their rewards members, so consider joining some of these programs, especially if they are free to join. 

 

When it comes to Wi-Fi on your next cruise, I would skip paying for it.  Several cruise lines now offer internet minute packages that can be purchased prior to your cruise.  Packages are anywhere from one dollar per minute to five dollars per minute, which means for 60 minutes of internet you can pay up to $300.  Download times are painfully slow and by the time you get the pages you need you have used up your allotted minutes.  If you must do work, consider not taking an excursion and head to a local café that provides free Wi-Fi.  You may want to just forget work all together, after all you are on a cruise!

Here are some tips to remember about Wi-Fi on your next vacation:

 

1.Check the hotel or resort amenities section before booking to find out if they provide free Wi-Fi and where in the hotel/resort they provide it.

 

2. If your hotel or resort doesn’t provide, look for local Panera’s or cafes that provide free Wi-Fi beforehand. 

 

3.Compare internet package pricing vs. internet day pricing.  If you are at a conference and need internet, then consider a package if it is much cheaper.

 

4. Skip the internet packages on your next cruise.  Slow download times leads to frustration and no work done.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

Have you learned this lesson from traveling?

Liz Hough on

Do you know the number 1 lesson learned when traveling?

Here it is….

 

Despite all of the things that have happened around the world in 2017, traveling in 2018 is still booming.  Why?  Because those who love to travel will always travel and they have learned an important lesson when they travel.  The lesson is that there are kind and amazing people everywhere you go.  I have traveled to third world countries, and despite some of the things that had or were going on there, I never felt in danger.  I had kind people surrounding me and wanting to show me what their culture was all about.  Whether they were preserving thousand year wooden churches that the entire town still went to every Sunday or the legends that surrounded their region, I never felt in danger.  Most of the time they would thank me for visiting for their town.  Actually seeing a country and their culture, not what the news outlets make them out to be, is why traveling is a learning experience for me.

So where will your learning experience be in 2019?  Here are some tips to help you decided where you want to travel in 2019:

 

Tip #1:  Distance.  It really does depend on how far you are willing to travel.  Maybe you just took a vacation in 2018 that required several flight changes, and/or several hours on a plane, and you are still recovering.  That’s fine.  Pick an amount of time that you are willing to travel via plane or car, and look at the places that are in that time frame or distance from origin. 

 

Tip #2: Budget. This is a tough question to ask yourself sometimes but figure out how much you willing to spend on a vacation or your budget for all of your vacations for 2019.  Once you have a budget set then you can start to figuring out tip #3. 

 

Tip #3: Ask yourself what type of vacation to you want to take.  Are you in the mood for an organized motorcoach tour?  Or maybe this is the year of the river cruise?  How about finally staying at one of the Deluxe Hotels in Walt Disney World and taking a Disney behind the scenes tours?  Figure out what you want out of your vacation. 

 

Tip #4: Gathering the troops!  Group travel is so much fun and most of the time when you are traveling as a group, the group comes up with where to go.  Maybe the answer of where to travel in 2019 lies with the troops, so set a dinner date and start discussing tips 1 through 3. 

 

Tip #5: Want vs. Need.  There are times when we “need” to travel, i.e. work or a family thing, but make sure that you plan a vacation that you “want” to take.  It is not fun when you have planned a vacation and you are on the fence about taking it.  If, or when, things go wrong on the vacation then you are more likely to tell yourself that you shouldn’t have taken that vacation in the first place.  So make sure you “want” and are very excited about your vacation that all of your friends and family know too!

 

January is a great time to start asking yourself these questions.  Planning earlier in the year allows you to cross it off your list of things to do in 2019 and guarantees that you get a spot on that motorcoach tour or river cruise or behind the scenes tour at Disney!  Let’s start planning together!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

Forget shopping…You have to do this instead.

Liz Hough on

Once the Christmas shopping is over, you have to check out these amazing activities only going on during the holidays…

 

There is so much going on around the holidays that it is hard to think of going anywhere or getting anything else done beside holiday related errands.  We want to make sure we have purchased all the gifts we need and survive the holidays.  Once you have done all of this, you are exhausted and it is January already. I don’t want you to miss out on all the fun activities there are to do during this time of year.  Holiday lights, holiday decorated museums, and Christmas Markets to name a few!  There is so much going on right in your own backyard you may not even know it.  So this weekend give yourself a break, and checkout something amazing going on in your neighborhood. 

 

Pennsylvania has a lot of amusement parks and they are great during the warmer months but did you know that they are open this time of year too?  Yes, that is right.  You can ride a rollercoaster in 30 degree weather while taking in the holiday light display.  Amusement parks set up a holiday light display in the park where you can stroll around the park and just take in the lights.  These light displays are as good, if not better, than some of the light displays that you drive or walk through.  There are lights in trees, bushes, floating above you, Christmas trees that are 3 stories tall, and interactive displays. And of course all of the characters in the park are dressed in their holiday outfits.  Some parks even have a musical lights extravaganza several times throughout the night, where the lights are synced with music.  If you have never seen a musical lights extravaganza it is really fun to watch and they never  disappoint.

 

Now each park is different, but they may also open a few select rides. Some parks will only open their children rides but others will have some of your favorite rollercoasters open.  Riding your favorite  rollercoaster in 30 degree weather is a new experience that you may only want to do once that night, but at least you can say that you did it.  Since the parks only open a select amount of rides, the lines for these rides can become very long, especially later in the night.  Getting to the park as soon as it opens is always a good idea.  You still have some daylight and you can get on all the rides quickly.  Later in the night when the park starts to get crowded you can enjoy the light displays.  I would recommend checking out the amusement park’s website to see which rides are open before you go. 

 

 

While you are checking the website, make sure to see if you can get discount pricing online.  Some parks have advanced ticket sales online where you can get an extra discount when you purchase online.  Tickets at the booth aren’t typically too expensive.  Tickets are usually a third of the price of a regular park ticket during normal season.  This isn’t a bad deal for all you are getting.  Most parks open around dusk, so this isn’t an all-day activity.  They also don’t stay open too late as it can get really cold outside.   You get a few hours to see several amazing light displays and get on rides, so this is why it is important to get there before the lines get too long.  You want to enjoy everything.

 

Museums are another great way to take in some holiday fun but this activity has you staying warm.  Some of the local museums have decorated their exhibits in holiday spirit or even have a temporary holiday exhibit.  One of our local museums here in Pittsburgh brings in several towering Colorado Spruce trees and decorates them with hand decorated ornaments.  This has become quite a tradition as they have been doing this since 1957, and it always gathers a large crowd.  Our local conservatory has a train exhibit set up and this year’s theme is Fairy Tales.  Not only do the kids get to enjoy the train set but some of their storybook favorites are around too.   

  

 

There is so much to see and do around the holidays and most exhibits come down right after Christmas.  So this holiday season, make sure to slow down a bit and take in some of the great holiday spirit right in your own back yard.  We hope your holidays are out of this world!

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

 

I love this travel gadget! Find out why….

Liz Hough on

By the end of this article you will want a portable charger,

here is why…

 

If a store has a travel section, you will find me in it.  Usually in the luggage section there is a small kiosk of travel gadgets.  This is the section where I rummage through what new device or gadget is going to make it easier for me to travel.  Some work, and some are complete failures.  I always have to share with you the ones that I absolutely love and do make it easier for me to travel.  So here is my latest favorite travel gadget find….the portable smart device charger!

 

If you already have one of these portable charges then you know how much easier your life is when your phone is on its last bar of battery.  You plug in your phone and go.  Your phone is charging while you are shopping, sitting in the airport, or even on the plane.  It is that easy.  No more stalking for an outlet at the airport to charge your phone, smart device, or even laptop.  Portable chargers are the best thing to have with you no matter where you are traveling to and everyday life. 

Most portable chargers are the size of a wallet or a small tube that easily fits into your back pocket or even your smallest purse.  Depending on the manufacturer of the charger you can choose from various colors or patterns.  The best part of portable charges is that they are compatible with most smart devices because they have a USB port so you can take any charger that has a USB adapter and plug it into the charger and charge your device.  Some chargers have enough power to charge your phone to 100% then you will have to recharge it, but some haven enough power to charge a phone and a tablet in one charge. 

 

Even though I said this is my latest travel gadget find, I really bought one last Christmas in the travel section at Marshalls.  When I brought it home, my husband rolled his eyes at me and said you really can plug your phone in anywhere we go.  Yes, this is true.  You can plug your phone in anywhere you go, but you are tied down to where it is plugged in.  On our trip in April, I thought to myself that I am going to bring it along, just in case.  Sometimes, when my phone is roaming for a long period of time it drains my battery faster than it takes time to charge it.  So as we are walking around the Bahamas, I hear that dreaded, Beep, Beep.  Yup, my phone only had 10% battery life left so I plugged it into my portable charge, put it in my purse and did some sight-seeing.  After an hour, I was up to 80% battery life and the portable charger still had three out of four bars left of battery life.  My husband couldn’t believe it.  Needless to say, anytime we go to an amusement park, museum, or any day trip my husband asks me if I have the portable charger with us.  It really is so convenient and easy to use, and its size makes it so easy to take with you.

 

So next time you are in the store, check out the travel section and see what gadgets will make your life easier to travel.  If you have one you like or love, feel free to email us back and let us know what your favorite ones are so we can share with everyone.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Is the World of Coca Cola worth a visit?

Liz Hough on

Pepsi Lovers Feel No Love in Atlanta

 

 

So if you read my previous post, then you know our adventures to the Georgia Aquarium exceeded our expectations.  Seeing four whale sharks float above was one of the best experiences that I have had in a while and seeing the kids’ faces light up with excitement was even better.  Having had this breathtaking experience we were ready to see what else downtown Atlanta had to offer.   Next up was Zoo Atlanta, which is a bit south of the city.  It is not within walking distance of the city center, so make sure you find some type of transportation to get there.  After handing over our vouchers using the CityPASS®, we were in.

 

Zoo Atlanta boasts that it has been around since the late 1800’s.  After walking around the zoo there are definitely some parts that I believe to be original and give it that old world character.  The zoo is made up of four areas: African Plains, African Rainforest, Asian Forest, and the Kids Zone.  They have many amazing animals including lions, elephants, and Gorillas, but the one animal that I was most excited about seeing was the giant panda.  There are a few zoos in the whole United States that actually house these beautiful creatures.  Despite them being called “giant” they aren’t much larger than a small brown bear.   Zoo Atlanta had four of these guys playing around and eating bamboo.  Our toddler’s favorite part of the zoo was the naked mole rats.  Yes, rats.  They have an indoor exhibit housing just these little guys, and they have it set up to really educate you on how they live.  However, they are small, naked rats running around burrowed out holes so it did make me feel a bit uncomfortable. 

 

The kid’s zone at the zoo was very large and had a lot of great activities to keep the kids occupied for several hours.  There was a zoo animal themed carousel, train, climbing wall, canopy center with large slide, and an extremely large play land with unique playground activities.  They also have a petting zoo area with goats and pigs but, thankfully, it was closed that day.  Animals can be unpredictable and I am always cautious about letting my little ones get too close to something that is three times their body weight.  With our voucher from the CityPASS® we received a bracelet for endless rides and climbs.  This worked out great for us as we rode the train four times and the carousel twice.  Each ride is around $3/person/ride, so it was pleasant surprise to have this included in our admission with our CityPASS® voucher. 

 

When visiting Atlanta if you are not familiar with the drink Coca Cola, you will definitely be by the end of your time there.  Coca Cola has their main headquarters in Atlanta along with a tourist attraction showcasing all things Coca Cola called the World of Coca Cola.  They have everything to see from old Coca Cola vending machines, to the various looks of the Coca Cola products, and a secret vault containing information on how Coca Cola came about.  They do a good job of crowd control as they have a short 10 minute presentation welcoming you and then you enter into a movie theater where they show a short movie about how Coca Cola brings the world together.  Once you are through these two areas you are then free to roam the various exhibits.  There is even an area where you can get your picture taken with Bear, the Coca Cola mascot. 

 

There are several exhibits at the World of Coca Cola that I found to be quite different than what I had expected.  They had a 4D movie about a scientist trying to figure out the secret formula of Coca Cola while being transported all over the world.  I have been to 4D movies before but this was the first time where the seats actually moved.  I don’t recommend this for someone with back or neck problems, but the kids found it fun.  They also liked the taste station.  This is an area that is broken up into continents where you can taste the various Coca Cola products available in certain countries.  Greece had a pineapple flavor soda that was quite refreshing but my favorite soda was from Tanzania called Stoney Ginger Beer.  It was very light and left a nice after taste of ginger in your mouth.  It also did not have a lot of sugar so I didn’t get that sugary build up on the back of my tongue like I do when I drink ginger ale.  It was a lot of fun going around to see how different continents like certain flavors.  South American countries really like a sweeter fruit based drink while African countries like more ginger and lighter flavors.  Something to definitely look forward to when you visit there!

 

One of the most interesting, and extremely innovated things at the World of Coca Cola was the cell phone or smart device charging stations located throughout the building.  It was a booth shaped like a Coca Cola Bottle with various slots to put your phone or smart device into.  All you had to do was swipe one of your credit cards and enter a pin number.  An empty box would be selected and you simply put your phone into the box and attach it to the charger.  Once you have closed the box it locks.  You are now free to walk around and your phone is charging.  Once you are ready for your phone you go back to the box and swipe your credit card, put in your pin number and your box opens.  This is a completely free service that Coca Cola offers to you even though you use a credit card as your key card. 

Last on our places to visit was the Fernbank Natural History museum which is located south of Atlanta.  It is located in a very nice, scenic neighborhood where we saw Owen Wilson and Ed Helms shooting a movie (How awesome is that?!?).  When you pull up to the museum you are welcomed by several statues of dinosaurs.  Inside they have several more dinosaurs in the main atrium and in an exhibit, which the kids absolutely loved.  With our CityPASS® voucher we were given access to an IMAX movie, so our oldest decided they wanted to see the polar bears movie. 

 

After the movie we walked around to the various exhibits including an Egyptian Queen’s belongings but the kids really enjoyed NatureQuest the most.  This indoor play and learning area for kids of all ages allowed kids to build walls with blocks, look at bugs under microscopes, find fossils hidden in the walls, and walk across and plank bridge.  There was so much for them to do in this area that we stayed here for a few hours.  The Fernbank really has something for everyone and is a great place for multi-generational families to have some fun together. 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to say, I was very surprised how much I enjoyed my downtown stay in Atlanta.  We didn’t have a bad experience once and all of the activities that there were to keep the kids busy and entertained kept this mommy happy!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

Have you been to Atlanta lately?

Liz Hough on

I have and here is why you need to go…

 

We recently took the whole family on a two week adventure.  Traveling with two little ones can give anyone anxiety let alone having to take multiple flights into different cities over a 12 day period.  Again, we were that family on the plane who were complimented on how well our children behaved and I am so thankful to have such sweet angels.  However, getting them up at 3am is not their favorite thing and by the time 3pm rolls around they were exhausted, screaming, and ready to take a nap. 

 

The first leg of our trip was to Atlanta, Georgia.  I have been to the Atlanta area several times for work but I have never actually stayed downtown and enjoyed the sites of downtown Atlanta.  We stayed at the Georgian Terrace hotel which is a few blocks from great restaurants and shopping, but just out of walking distance.  When you walk into the lobby of the hotel you are taken back to a time when this hotel was considered first class for the Rockefellers and Jones.  The hotel’s opulence clearly comes out with its white marble columns and stairways.  They still have the old lantern light fixtures but updated them to have electricity.  I really felt like I was transported back in time to the early 1900’s when the hotel was first built.  Another great feature of the hotel is their panoramic view of downtown Atlanta from the roof top pool.  We decided to visit during sunset and the view was breathtaking.  They also had a restaurant and bar in the hotel and a full service fitness area. 

 

We opted for a two-bedroom suite. Even though there were many great amenities in our room like the full washer and dryer and kitchen, the furniture was a bit out dated.  They also did not provide any silverware or utensils for the kitchen which made it difficult to eat our late night dessert.  It should be noted though that they were starting to renovate all of the rooms on our floor on the day we checked out, so maybe the furniture will be better and the kitchen will be fully stocked soon. The kids had plenty of space to run around but I must warn you, if you have little ones and are staying on a higher floor, you must watch them by the elevators.  The railings are wide enough for a toddler to get through and there is no glass or paneling to prevent this from happening.  Overall, the hotel was quite nice but I would prefer to stay in a hotel where restaurants and shopping were within walking distance. 

 

Since we have never enjoyed the sites of Atlanta, we decided to buy the CityPASS®. A CityPASS® is a booklet of tickets for various attractions in the city you are visiting for one low price. 

There are several major cities in the US who participate including New York City, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco to name a few.  The CityPASS® includes admission to some of the most popular attractions in those cities.  For Atlanta, it included admission to the Georgia Aquarium, The World of Coca Cola, the Atlanta Zoo, Inside CNN studio tour, Fernbank Natural History Museum, College Football Hall of Fame and the Center for Civil and Human Rights.  Some vouchers make you choose admission to one of two places, but if you decided that you wanted to visit both places in the back of the booklet they give you a discount on admission to the other place.  It really is a good deal for anyone who is visiting one of the CityPASS® cities and plans on seeing the places in the booklet. The booklet expires 9 days from initial use.

 

Our agency has access to sell CityPASS® and so we decided to purchase them for the whole family.  This was our first time purchasing a CityPASS® but knowing that we were going to see many of the attractions that were included in the pass, we decided it was a great deal.  How the CityPASS® works is that you purchase it online or, if available, at one of the locations, and they provide you with a booklet of admission tickets or vouchers.  Note that the admission tickets must be intact to be valid.  Once you have your booklet you simply go to any of the locations and hand your booklet to the person at the admissions counter.  They take out their voucher and you’re done.  I found the CityPASS® extremely easy to use and there were even some perks in having the book, like the IMAX presentation that was included in our admission to the Fernbank Natural History Museum.  I would highly recommend the CityPASS® if you are heading to a city that uses it. 

 

Our first stop was to the Georgia Aquarium.  As a fan of the Travel Channel, I had seen the Georgia Aquarium on there as one of the best aquariums to visit in the world.  Having lived near the Baltimore Aquarium for many years, I didn’t believe that there was another aquarium as big or as fascinating.  I was wrong!  The Georgia Aquarium had so much to see and do.  They have some animals that I have never seen in an aquarium or zoo before such as the Beluga Whale and the Whale Shark!  They housed the largest tank that I have ever seen, which currently holds four Whale Sharks and many other fish and sharks.  If you are a certified diver or a good swimmer you can go into the tank with the Whale Sharks and swim with them.  This experience is an extra charge.  The aquarium offers several interactive animal experiences as part of their behind the scenes tours and some of them are very reasonable priced.  If you are looking for something fun to give as a gift, I highly recommend checking out these tours. 

 

There was plenty of activities to keep the kids busy.  They have a 4D short film with their mascot Deepo about conserving our oceans and an interactive talk with Deepo where kids can ask him questions in real time.  They have a Dolphin show, and also there are several employees on hand to answer questions and tell fun facts about the animals.  I was so excited to see my favorite sea creatures of all time, the Sea Dragon.  They are very rare and I had seen a moving exhibit of them at the Baltimore Aquarium many years ago.  They are very relaxing to watch as they almost seem to be dancing in the water rather than swimming.  The whole family really enjoyed the aquarium and there are several activities and exhibits to keep anyone occupied for a few hours.

 

 

More to come next week on whether or not it is worth it to go to the World of Coca Cola.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Has TSA searched your luggage lately?

Liz Hough on

Has your checked luggage ever been searched by TSA?

Mine has, and now I have a whole new perspective on how to protect myself.

 

After returning home from my last flight trip I opened my luggage to a friendly letter saying that my suitcase was searched by TSA.  I was part of the random search of suitcases that TSA does on those bags that get checked and placed under the airplane.  I have to say this was the first time that my suitcase was searched and I kind of wonder if it was because of all the baby stuff I packed in there.  Baby bottles, food, and cereal probably do look suspicious in an x-ray machine.

 

After reading several articles and seeing several news outlets talking about TSA agents getting fired for stealing people’s items from their suitcases, I was a bit concerned that something was missing.  After a thorough inspection of my suitcase I was thankful that everything was there.  But this experience had me thinking not just about these corrupt TSA agents but those swipe your suitcase at the luggage carousel.  The luggage carousels are very easy to get to and people don’t need a plane ticket to get in this area.  They just come in right off the street, take a bag, and get back in their car or go to the bathroom and rummage through the suitcase.  I read about one guy who took five suitcases in one day!  This is a bit scary.

 

So how do you make sure that your suitcase isn’t one of the unlucky ones to get inspected by TSA or swiped off the luggage carousel?  Unfortunately, nothing is 100% full proof but here are some tips on how to make sure you don’t lose any valuable stuff.

 

Tip #1:  Don’t pack anything valuable in the suitcase you are going to check.  You can purchase a piece of carry-on luggage surprisingly large enough to fit a lot of your valuable stuff.  What is valuable to you is relative, but for most people it is their electronics, jewelry, souvenirs, camera, wallet or anything they feel personally connected to. 

 

Tip #2:  Buy a luggage lock.  Don’t buy the cheapest lock on the market.  There are a lot of TSA approved locks available at department stores, Amazon, etc.  These locks allow TSA to easily open the lock without having to know your combination.  If you don’t have a TSA approved lock and they want to inspect your bag, they will just cut it off.  Now you don’t have a lock for your luggage for the rest of your trip.  Having a lock does not deter TSA from inspecting your bag, as it happened to me.  However, it will deter someone from swiping your bag.  Think of the guy who took the bags into the bathroom.  Do you think he was going to cut locks off of bags while people were coming in and out?  Probably not, he was targeting bags he could easily open. 

 

Tip #3:  Black, black, black!  Orange is the new black!  Having a black suitcase has some advantages like you don’t see all the scuff marks from rough handling but everyone has one.  When you’re watching suitcases come off the carousel and you see a black one you automatically think it is yours and then it’s not.  Black is so common that it is easy to mistake or swipe.  Think of poor Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents.  Even the airline mistook his BLACK suitcase and when his future father in law went through his bag he found some “interesting stuff” it lead to some embarrassing moments.  Go out of the norm and pick a color that will stand out.  This way you can easily spot it coming off the carousel or even worse, someone walking away with it.

 

Tip #4:  I am not going to advocate trip insurance now, but if you have purchased it they give you identification tags to put into your luggage.  This tag is usually printed out from your own computer or your travel agent should be providing it to you, but place this in your luggage.  This tag has your information on it so that if your luggage gets lost or swiped and someone finds it, they know how to reach you through your insurance company.  This also helps the airline if they lose your luggage. 

 

Tip #5:  Luggage tags.  There are so many luggage tags on the market today.  Bright colors, fancy logos, various shapes, large and small, etc.  I highly recommend also putting a luggage tag on your suitcase that will help you spot it.  I give all of my clients luggage spotters to put on their suitcases.  It wraps around the handle, is padded, and they can put their information on the inside.  I usually place their extra trip insurance card in the sleeve just in case.  Try to get something sturdy as your bags does get thrown around a lot on its way to and from the airplane.  I have lost many luggage tags in my day.

 

Having TSA search your luggage can happen to anyone but you can avoid them taking anything of value from you.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

How to bring back those amazing souvenirs!

Liz Hough on

This happens to me every time I go on vacation – I buy too many souvenirs!  When we travel I love to find unique souvenirs.  My favorite type of souvenir are the ones that are conversation starters. When people first come to our house they are surprised by all the pieces of art on our walls and even the crystal lady with a basket on our shelf.  They ask us where we got these amazing pieces and it easily leads into a conversation about one of our many amazing journeys. 

 

Since buying souvenirs is a part of traveling, why don’t we ever plan on how to bring them back?  We always pack way too much into our suitcases in fear that wherever we travel they won’t have something we may need.  This means we always end up over packing. Over the years, I have perfected the amount of clothes I bring on any vacation because I am guilty of the “I may never be here again so I just have to get it” syndrome.  I am here to tell you that this syndrome is a perfect trait to possess because it is true, you may never be there again.  You don’t want to get home and have any regrets about not getting that piece of pottery in Italy or that crystal figurine in Hungary.  I purchased them, and I love using my ceramic octopus plate and staring at my small crystal umbrella toting figurine.  It brings me happiness and it floods me with the memories of those places.

 

But how did I get them back?  There are two ways I bring back souvenirs.  One way is by mail.  Every country in this world receives mail. Most places where you buy your souvenirs, especially the higher end stores have shipping options for you.  Now make sure you weigh your options.  If you buy the pottery for $100 but it costs $300 to ship, then your answer should be no.  Shipping to the United States is expensive, due to the various taxes and fees, and port charges.  The store may also inflate the price of shipping too.  You don’t want to pay a couple hundred dollars for shipping a souvenir unless that shipping cost is 10%-20% of the price of the souvenir.  Find out what the store policy is on shipping.  I have been in stores where they have a flat rate regardless of how much you spend.  Depending on what that flat rate is, you may have to spend over a $1000 for it to be worth it.

 

Group mailing!  Wait until the end of your trip to figure out what you don’t want to take on the plane.  FedEx and DHL are common mail carriers overseas, and you can pack everything or they can pack your souvenirs for you.  REMEMBER!  Stay with your stuff until it is all taped up!  Keep an inventory.  I suggest both written and by photos.  Make sure if there is more than one box it says that on your slip.  You carried these souvenirs the whole trip, you don’t want to lose them now. Also, take into consideration that it will take a couple of weeks for your items to arrive at your door.  They have to go through customs (just like you at the airport) and several channels before they reach your front door.  Make sure you have a way to track your packages. 

 

 

Another great way to bring back souvenirs safely is through your suitcase.  Even if your suitcase is filled with clothing the key is to pack a large foldable, duffel bag in the bottom of your suitcase.  The duffel bag is great because at the end of your trip you can unfold it and put all of your dirty clothing in here while packing all of your souvenirs safely into your sturdier suitcase.  Just take into consideration that you have an extra piece of luggage to check at the airport.  Checking an extra bag maybe less expensive then shipping your items back to the United States. 

 

Now you have a few “I may never be here again so I just have to get it” options on your next vacation to get those amazing conversation starting souvenirs back to the United States.  Happy shopping!

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

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