Travel

Connecticut Letterboxing Staycation!

Published on May 4, 2020May 4, 2020 by RebeccaLeave a comment

Perhaps a silver lining of being quarantined for almost two months is finding a renewed love for the outdoors. Each weekend my family and I have been blazing various trails throughout Connecticut. So far our favorite adventure is to hunt for waterfalls, that’s a big pay off, or unique rocks, Geology nerds over here.

This past weekend we decided to take our adventuring skills to a new height. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has created a Geocaching/Letterboxing program, and we were eager to find out what it was all about.

Here are the basics of Geocaching/Letterboxing. Before you go, grab a notebook, stamp (we used a Mickey Mouse stamp), pen, and bug spray. Decide on a park and follow the clues. Once you locate a box, use the ink pad provided to leave your stamp and to use their stamp in your book. Place the box back where you found it for the next letterbox adventurers.

For this hike, we chose the Meshomasic State Park in East Hampton, CT. The clues on the official CT DEEP website give great turn by turn directions taking you on a journey through this beautiful 9000 acre state park. We saw bright blue true swallows, a pond, beaver dam, and very tall trees. There was also plenty of beautiful quiet….and mosquitoes. When we found the general area where the box is located, we had quite a hard time finding it! But with determination and a little patience we did not leave empty handed!

Watching carefully for rattlesnakes (not kidding, they live here), we moved a few sticks near a big tree and voila! Our first letterbox! Feeling very victorious we went ahead and looked inside. There was a mini notebook, a stamp with the number 1 on it (indicating the first in the CT DEEP Letterbox Program), and an ink pad. We stamped the notebook we brought with us and also left our Mickey stamp in their book with the date. It was fun to see who else had visited! We carefully closed and returned the box to it’s specific location, feeling very proud of ourselves.

Spoilers and Tips

For future cachers who may have hit a frustration point, here is advice for finding this first box in the CT DEEP Letterbox Program. It’s actually a quick find.

Spoiler alert! Read no further if you want to keep hunting!

There was a shorter ride to get to this particular letterbox spot, but the drive was half the journey. I highly recommend it.
Follow the directions on the state clue page.
When you get to “park at the Triangle / North Mulford Road ” it gets a little murky. The clues are not very helpful in finding the right trail, because there are a few in the area, and many boulders. Here is some help. When you see the North Mulford Road sign look left. There is a circle of boulders, and a yellow gate. Park there.
Walk back over to the North Mulford Road sign. You’ll see some more large rocks/small boulders to the right of the sign. There is a packed dirt path. Take this one. There is a rambling brook on your right (and it is SO PRETTY).
Walk just under 200 feet (our perception of what 200 feet looks like is way off).
On your left you’ll see a big rock (they call it an outcropping, we didn’t know what that really was going into this) and a tall tree with a rotting log. The log is on the left of the tree and in two or more pieces, and it’s really rotten.
At the time of this post, the box is on the left of the rotting log about 5 yards off the path. There are a handful of 2 inch diameter sticks covering it and dry leaves.
The box is in a large Ziploc bag.
If you reach the small waterfall on your right, you went too far.
Please keep your eyes peeled because this is rattlesnake territory.

Good Luck!

You can find out more about the CT DEEP Letterbox Program by clicking here.

Our go to resource for hikes in Connecticut is the book 50 Hikes In Connecticut.

If you’d like to find Geocaches/Letterboxes in your state check out geocaching.com!

by: Rebecca C

Ride Opening Weekend Experience

Published on January 8, 2020January 9, 2020 by suscrestoLeave a comment

You know when you plan a Disney trip, months in advance and it’s planned for “off season” so you expect low crowds? Ever had that change with one Disney announcement? I did!

My best friend asked me to join her for a trip to Disney World in early December. She had a conference and I would be tagging along just to have fun. She made the conference reservations and I made my flight reservations. Fastpasses were reserved and then BOOM!! Disney announces the opening day of Rise of the Resistance is during our trip.

I knew from my research that opening weekend of a ride can be bonkers and with a Star Wars ride, I expected it to be even worse. Opening day for Rise was the day we arrived in Orlando, so we missed that craziness, but knew the whole weekend would be busier than we originally expected.

If you haven’t read about the issues with Rise of the Resistance opening weekend, let me update you. The ride had problems. It went down A LOT. That’s actually something that is normal for a new ride. It’s not used to the volume of riders and there are going to be kinks in the system. Evidently, not everyone expected that. Disney cast members had people screaming at them because they couldn’t get on the ride. How do I know? I witnessed it. I felt really bad for both the cast members and the guests who had traveled to Disney World just to ride this new ride.

My friend and I got lucky. We had read about the issues and had been doing research on how the boarding groups worked and when they opened. The first couple of weeks, Disney was inconsistent with the opening of the boarding groups and the opening of the park. We decided to head to Hollywood Studios a couple nights before our planned morning in the park to ask questions. We headed straight for Galaxy’s Edge and stopped to talk with 2 cast members about 20 feet from the entrance.

We asked what time we needed to be at Hollywood Studios to get in a boarding group and how the process worked. The cast members told us 4am, YIKES! (That has changed. Disney is not opening boarding groups that early anymore.) We chatted some about the ride and as we stood talking with them a woman walked up to us with 3 tickets in her hand. She said she was leaving the next day and Rise of the Resistance went down while she was on it and wouldn’t be back up for the rest of the night. She then gave us the tickets saying she didn’t want them to go to waste. SCORE!! We thanked her profusely and then went to check how to use the tickets and if we would be able to use them the next day even though they had that day’s date on them. This is when we witnessed the fury of Star Wars fans. They were yelling at cast members in force. We nicely asked our questions and got out of the melee.

We were able to ride Rise of the Resistance the next day due to that woman’s generosity. We passed the 3^rd ticket on to a man we saw visiting Hollywood Studios alone.

Our last day we did use the boarding group process to get on the ride. If you want to ride Rise of the Resistance be inside Hollywood Studios BEFORE official opening. This means leave your hotel AT LEAST an hour before official park opening or Extra Magic Hours. You must have been through the Hollywood Studios gate and your park ticket/magic band scanned to get a boarding group.

Lessons learned from this experience.

Embrace the changes that come during your trip.
DO NOT expect a new ride to work perfectly the first couple of weeks if not longer.
Pass on someone’s generosity if you can.
Also, something I knew, but can’t emphasis enough, do not yell at the cast members. They are doing their job and it’s not their fault the ride went down, or you didn’t get exactly what you wanted.

Don’t be afraid of a ride opening weekend, just be patient, keep a positive attitude and ask lots of questions of how the new ride process is going to work.

Food and Wine around the World!

Published on August 28, 2018August 28, 2018 by keriadventure1Leave a comment

The 2018 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is right around the corner, starting on August 30, 2018 and going through November 12, 2018. There is always so much to do and see, (not to mention taste!) at this staple Epcot festival. One of my favorite things to do is to check out all the various food booths that circle World Showcase, not only to look for returning favorite dishes (hello Belgium Waffles!) but also to look at what new tidbits are being offered. This year’s new offerings including the Impossible Burger Slider, with wasabi cream and spicy Asian slaw on a sesame seed bun (A vegetarian dish), as well as a New Brunswick Slider, which is a “Pot Roast Style” beef brisket on a potato roll.

The Impossible Burger Slider – hooray for a Vegetarian Dish!

In addition to the new food, there’s over some exciting new events being offered, including Sunday Brunch With the Chef. This experience includes a brunch buffet followed by a conversation with some of the most recognized chefs in culinary television. I’m a big fan of both Chef Art Smith and Chef Carla Hall, who will both be a part of this event.

One of the other things I always look forward to at the Food and Wine Festival is checking out the new merchandise, and this year is no exception. I can never resist the trash can shaped salt and pepper shakers that are released each year, and I’m sure I’ll be adding to my collection again with this year’s cute design. Figment is once again the honorary mascot for the Food and Wine Festival, and is being featured on various merchandise including coffee mugs and the exclusive Dooney and Bourke purse.

Salt and Pepper Trash Cans

The bottom of the purse is too cute!

Of course, no visit to the Food and Wine Festival is complete without checking out the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, which has over 30 different acts performing at the America Gardens Theatre. Along with some traditional returning favorites like Sugar Ray and Tiffany, this year has some fun new acts coming to the stage, including 98 Degrees and Vertical Horizon. Don’t forget you can always book an Eat to the Beat Dining Package where you can you can eat at select restaurants and have reserved seatings for the concert being offered that night.

What event are you looking forward to the most at the Food and Wine Festival? Will you be watching for a certain band at Eat to the Beat? Let us know in the comments below and don’t forget to contact Adventure is Out There Travel for all your Food and Wine booking needs.

Disneyland Visit Part 1-Arrival and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Published on February 19, 2017February 19, 2017 by Adventure is Out There Travel, LLCLeave a comment

Our family traveled to Disneyland over the Thanksgiving holiday. Ideally, we would have chosen a different time to visit, but several personal factors impacted our travel dates. We flew out of Midway, located in Chicago, IL, on Tuesday morning. The flight lasted four hours. We have only flown as a family of four on one previous trip. Our five-year-old son and two-year-old daughter fly a lot easier than their anxious father. My wife, Tracy, is definitely the “team captain” when it comes to flying, and dad just plays pack mule. Moving the kids through security and other congested areas is definitely a team effort, but Tracy handles most of their needs throughout the airport. Additionally, she flies with a child on each side of her, which demands a great deal of energy and effort. My primary duties are hauling the luggage and assisting our son to and from the restroom. The first time we flew into LAX, we obtained a rental vehicle with AVIS. (Remind me to create a short post on how big of a nightmare getting the vehicle was.) This time we used Disney-contracted transportation.

As expected, the contracted shuttle service in L.A. is much different than that of Orlando. In L.A., there are no cast members to make your luggage magically appear in your resort room. You have to gather your luggage and haul it out to a waiting area. The area is labelled and identified with green markers. The pickup area at LAX is a step above (as in worse than most) the cluster most airports are. It is setup in a giant “U.” (See the graphic below.) We waited in one of the first stops, which meant it took nearly an hour for the shuttle to make its way around the entire pickup area. It was miserable. After completing the tour of the pickup area, the driver announced that we were on our way to Disneyland which could take up to an hour and a half. Luckily, the traffic was not bad and we made it in about 40 minutes. This commute was a stark contrast to our drive to Yorba Linda in the summer of 2016. The round trip cost our family slightly less than $100. I don’t recall the exact dollar amount. Here is a link to Disneyland transportation site: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/transportation/

We arrived at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa mid-afternoon. The resort is incredible. Upon arrival, cast members welcomed and asked us if we needed anything. They also directed us to the lobby’s check-in desks. The cast member was efficient and friendly. He also was quick with valuable information about getting to our dining reservation and utilizing the extra magic hour the next morning. He also shared information about the resort. Overall, the cast member was a great introduction to the Grand Californian.

The lobby and atrium of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa are magnificent. The theme is described as “Craftsman-style Elegance” by Disney. It is so much more than that. The color is a dark wood, which comforts guests with a cozy feeling. Within the atrium is a very large fireplace with a sitting area near it. We were there while Christmas decorations adorned the area. The decorations featured an extremely large tree and a magnificent gingerbread house. The decorations had a classic feel without going over the top. This trend continued throughout the parks. Our first day in California was the warmest, but we did not swim. However, the pool area is extremely nice and offers enough space for a vast amount of guests. The Grand Californian offers two amazing features, which no other Disneyland resort can offer-an entrance to California Adventure and Downtown Disney. The resort also has multiple dining areas highlighted by Napa Rose and Storytellers Café. Both offer wonderful dining experiences. There is also a snack area called White Water Snacks and two lounges. Overall, we decided we would stay at this resort when we return to Disneyland.

Come back to enjoy the rest of our Disneyland trip.

Justin Eggenberger, Co-owner of Adventure is Out There Travel, LLC

justin@adventureisouttheretravel.com Twitter @JAEggenberger

Surviving Disney with Small Children

Published on February 9, 2017 by littleorangenerdLeave a comment

Traveling to Disney World with little ones can be the most magical (and exhausting) trip you will ever take! The first time we took our little princess, she was 2.5. At that point, I had only traveled to Disney as a child and as an adult with no children, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into! After asking friends and scouring the internet, I found lots of good tips and tricks. We have now taken Princess L to Disney at 2.5, 3.5, and just two weeks ago for her 5^th birthday. Every trip has been different because of her age and interests, but I have used a lot of the same tricks to keep myself sane throughout our trips! So here are my top tricks and tips for traveling with little ones to Walt Disney World!

Schedule around your child’s “magic” time. This is the time of day your child is most agreeable/best behaved. When Princess L was 2.5, her “magic time” was morning. Anywhere between 7am-Noonish, she was almost always in a great mood and the most cooperative. As soon as lunch time would hit, she would turn into a hangry beast and NOTHING was going to happen until she ate something and took a nap! With that in mind, I scheduled the majority of our character meet & greets and fast passes during those hours and planned to head back to our resort at lunch time to get her fed and down for a nap. Once she was well rested, we would take her back to the park and figured anything we got done between then and bedtime was a bonus! It worked out great and we had very minimal meltdowns. We still do this, but our resort time is getting shorter and shorter. She hasn’t taken a regular nap in a couple years, but Disney tired is a special kind of tired! Also, going back to the resort for a break gives your kids a break from all the excitement, which can get overwhelming and lead to more meltdowns!

Ziploc bags & Take n toss sippy cups are your friend! Seriously! We used Ziploc bags for everything like leftover food because Princess L is a grazer (and takes forever to eat), dirty clothes, snacks, etc. We took a gallon Ziploc bag to the park every day with a full change of clothes (shirt, shorts, underwear, socks) just in case. You never know when spills or accidents will happen and this will keep you from having to spend Disney prices on a new outfit! Bonus, the mess can be contained in the Ziploc until you get back to your resort. In 3 trips, we have had to use our change of clothes twice. Once for a potty accident and once because of a spill! Plus it’s easy to just grab the bag and toss under the stroller. We also bring a few take n toss sippy cups. My kid loves chocolate milk, but they are always in a bottle that she can’t really drink out of. Animal Kingdom does not have lids and only paper straws because of the animals, so a sippy cup comes in handy there! They are great on the plane as well. If you don’t want to wash them out, you can throw them out when you’re done. They’re fairly cheap and come in all sorts of Disney prints!

I guarantee you will LOVE and HATE your stroller at Disney! Having a good stroller is key! A cheap umbrella stroller is okay, but you will appreciate something that rolls a lot nicer (and has storage) when you’re pushing around a child (and their gear) all day. We have a City Mini stroller, which we love. If you don’t have a nice stroller, there is really no need to go out and buy one just for vacation. There are several companies that rent strollers out in the Orlando area and they will deliver to your resort. The majority of rented strollers are Baby Jogger City Mini or City Mini doubles. You will see them all over the parks and for good reason! They push easily, fold one-handed, and have a decent storage. There are other options for rented strollers as well, but the Baby Jogger brand in particular is my fave. Bonus, they’re fairly easy to fit on a crowded bus, because they fold almost totally flat.

Yes, there are TONS of things to do at Disney, but I’m talking about waiting in line and waiting for food. Those are the times Princess L struggles with. Not only at Disney, but in our regular life I always have a play pack in my purse. You can find them at Dollar Tree, Target, Walmart, etc. They’re a little Ziploc pack that includes a small coloring book, crayons, and stickers and they’re usually around $1. There are loads of Disney ones as well! I also keep a couple games on my phone that I know she likes but that I don’t let her play often. When the coloring book isn’t going to work and she’s burnt out looking for hidden Mickeys, I whip out my phone with her fave app open. I also bring a few power banks to charge my phone. (There are also fuel rod kiosks at the parks!) Between taking a million pics, looking up fast passes, and letting the kiddo play with my phone, my battery doesn’t last long!

Expect nothing, appreciate everything! Taking a little one to Disney can feel (at times) like walking around with a ticking time bomb! Toddlers can be so unpredictable and you never know what they will like/dislike! Don’t be afraid to switch up plans because your kid just isn’t having it! Maybe s/he is afraid of characters. Don’t force it because that isn’t fun for anyone! There are photopass photographers everywhere, with and without characters. We have our share of pics where Princess L did not cooperate (see the Animal Kingdom picture!) It’s ok! Maybe they just want to ride Carousel of Progress six times in a row. (L’s was Haunted Mansion over and over again!) Maybe they want to watch the ducks swim around the ponds at Epcot for 30 minutes. Flexibility is key and sometimes you just have to roll with it! If you don’t force a hectic schedule, it will make for a happier trip for everyone. And no, you won’t get to see and do everything, but that is ok! I guarantee that your kid won’t remember that they hated Elsa or didn’t get to ride a certain ride. They will remember the little moments like riding on the “Mickey Bus”, eating a dole whip for breakfast, and Mickey waving to them from the parade float!

Not all these tips will work for every family, but hopefully one of two will help your family have a more magical vacation!

Disney Trip Crafting

Published on January 28, 2017 by DwanGreenLeave a comment

One of my favorite hobbies is crafting for Disney trips. I’ve made shirts for my kids, my best friend’s daughter for her band trip and most recently, for myself and my best friend on our girls’ trip for Wine and Dine weekend. We received tons of compliments on them; especially, the ones we wore the first day, the white shirts pictured below. I also used the white shirt to surprise her that she was going with me to Disney World where I was running in the Wine and Dine half marathon.

I really think matching shirts can be lots of fun! They can be practical as well. June 2015, we went with my brother and his family. We were a group of 12, all had matching shirts for each park day. This made it very easy to keep sight of our large group. It was easy for the cast members at the rides to see how many was in our group.

Our trip this past June was to see our daughter dance with Dance the World! Our mothers joined us along with our great friends and neighbors. I did not make group shirts for this trip, as we had shirts from the studio we had ordered. But, I did make all the kids shirts, even though they didn’t match.

After purchasing two autograph books for my daughter’s first trip, I decided I would make them for the kids. I bought sketch books with 100 pages of good thick paper and decorated the covers with their favorite character. For each trip, I just create a new trip page to divide up the trips. These are also big enough that a picture of the character can be placed opposite of the autograph page. I made my kids for our 2015 trip, and my friend’s children this year.

Another fun item, for the kids to do, in the parks is the pressed penny machines. I use mini m&m tubes to hold our change for those. I decorate those, as well, with their character of choice. Now, of course, you need something to carry the books and penny holders in so…backpacks it is! Drawstring backpacks are great. Lightweight and a good size for most kids! My little guy is kind of small, so we have to shorten the string up for him. But, it’s certainly doable when mommy and daddy aren’t carrying it, of course. An added bonus, they can be thrown in the washer when they get dirty!

There are so many crafting possibilities for a Disney trip that can make your trip even more magical. If you are not a crafty person or have time for that sort of thing you can always check Etsy or your favorite crafty Disney loving friend.

ALASKAN CRUISE 2016

Published on October 28, 2016 by ClaudiaELeave a comment

My husband and I went with a group of friends on a 7 day cruise to Alaska in July aboard the Carnival Legend. We flew to Seattle the night before our cruise was scheduled to leave port. We walked around the city until all of our party had arrived. Then some of us went to Pike Place Market. The Market had vendors set up, selling flowers, crafted jewelry, fruits, vegetables, and fish. It was fun to watch the fish vendors throw the fish! We also saw the gum wall.

One of our friends insisted we all chew bubble gum and leave our own addition to the “art”. After that, we walked down to the water and ate dinner at The Crab Pot. When we finished our delicious dinner, some of us walked back to our hotel, while the rest of our party went to a Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox ballgame. Since we live near Chicago, it was fun to see the Sox play in another ball park.

The next morning, some of us walked to the Space Needle and went up to the top. It was a clear day and was very scenic. We could see our ship while she was waiting for us to board!

Once we boarded our ship, we took time to eat lunch, unpack and familiarize ourselves with the ship. Then it was time for muster. It was very hot and took a long time but is a requirement before the ship leaves port. Muster is when the ship’s crew instructs the passengers where to go and what to do in case of an emergency evacuation of the ship. Good to know.

At dinner time, we were all seated at three tables close together (there were 18 of us). We ate at the same place every night and had the same servers. We got to know each other very well by the time our cruise was finished. In addition to the excellent service and delicious food, the servers would entertain us with a floor show. They would sing along with a different song every night and dance a choreographed dance. Lots of fun. After dinner, we usually went to the theatre for a live show then went to the comedy club. Finishing off the night would be a visit to the casino and/or bars or shopping in the onboard shops.

The first day was a day at sea. There are many activities when you are aboard a ship, so we all did whatever we chose. I enjoy getting a massage on sea day whenever we cruise, so I got a hot stone massage.

The second day we sailed the Tracy Arm Fjord. The best adjective I can use about the Fjord is: magnificent! It is a rain forest, so it was overcast and a little cool but no one stayed inside on that day. The beauty was breath taking. We saw whales, seals, eagles, icebergs, and a glacier. It was all so amazing and beautiful.

The third day, we docked at Skagway. Some of us had booked the White Pass Railroad Summit Excursion. We boarded a vintage passenger coach, which retraced the original route to the White Pass summit. We passed Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. We saw beautiful mountains, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, and trestles. We saw the original Klondike Trail worn into the rocks. After the excursion, we walked, shopped, and ate in Skagway.

On the fourth day, we docked at Juneau. It rained most of the day. We figured we would never have the opportunity to visit Juneau again so why not make the most of it? After lunch at the Red Dog Saloon, the weather cleared up a bit and we were able to see the beautiful area surrounding the city.

The fifth day was our stop at Ketchikan. We explored the city and saw many interesting totem poles. We walked over a plank bridge and saw salmon in the stream below. We were told that we were lucky we were there when we were because, a short time after we left the bridge, it was closed because a bear had decided to find his lunch in the stream!

Our final day of the cruise was mainly on ship. We made port around 7:30 p.m. at Victoria, British Columbia. Some of us went to see beautiful Butchart Gardens. Our only regret was that it turned dark shortly after our arrival. Our excursion by bus also included a narrated tour of the city.

What do we have planned for our next adventure? We are going to Epcot Food & Wine Festival! We are looking forward to that, as we have talked about going for the past several years. We also got tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! I am very excited about it. I hope to have lots of stories & photos for my next blog.

Claudia Eggenberger

Co-owner/Agent

Adventure Is Out There Travel, LLC

How to Plan a Surprise Disney Vacation

Published on July 11, 2016July 11, 2016 by akolafa2 Comments

Ahh! The surprise Disney World Vacation! Yes, it’s as fun as it sounds.

I have planned two surprise trips for my children. The question I always get asked is. HOW did you do it? Disney requires a lot of planning and it can be a bit tricky, but it is totally worth the extra effort. I mean who does not enjoy seeing a child’s little face when a surprise is revealed? So with that being said, I have a few tips to help you with your surprise Disney World trip.

Be sure to let anyone you tell know that this is a surprise vacation. People love to talk about Disney and the cat can be let out of the bag well before you want it to be. So you may want to limit or selectively chose whom you tell about the trip.

Now as you progress with your reservation there are going to be things you will need or want to discuss with certain members of the traveling group. Like dinner reservations those are going to need to be booked 180 days from the first day you arrive and FastPass+ reservations these should be booked at 60 days before the first day you leave for the trip. Provided you’re staying on Disney property and yes you will want to stay on property.

When possible try to discuss trip details when the children/person is not around. I know this is not always possible so that’s why I included the next tip.
If you should need to discuss the trip while the children/ person is/are around. I highly recommend using a code word for “Disney and Disney World”

When we were planning our trips we used the code word “ceiling fan.” The reason for this is because if my kids hear the word Disney or Disney World they would have started listening to every single world we said. So get together and pick a code word. Remember to stay away from using anything that they will be interested in. Examples kitty, puppy, and any toys things that they may want it could lead to a meltdown especially if you’re dealing with small children. Also, they may end up upset they did not get that item instead of being happy they are going to Disney World.

Avoid using the names of characters when discussing the trip while in the presence of the children/ person these names will draw attention to your conversations and it could send up a hint.
Be careful when you’re working on your computer like on My Disney Experience and booking your air travel. Kids love to try to sneak peaks at what you’re doing and some of them can spot the Disney header from a mile away.

So these are just a few pointers for getting thru the planning process of a surprise Disney World trip. Stay tuned for my next post about how I revealed the trips. As always you can contact me at amanda@adventureisouttheretravel.com like me on Facebook” Travel Agent Amanda.” You can also contact any of our other agents at www.adventureisouttheretravel.com . We would all love to help you plan the perfect vacation for your family.

Tips and Experiences with European Travel

Published on June 9, 2016June 20, 2016 by ClaudiaELeave a comment

First step: Get a passport. Word of advice here: DO NOT get so anxious when signing your passport that you sign your maiden name and not the married name that is on the passport. – Yes, another one of my bloopers! Luckily, my trip organizer noticed it & there was enough room on the signature line to sign my married name after my maiden name.

Things to pack: travel documents (including properly signed passport), medication, sunglasses, rain gear, and personal items. Be sure to pack good walking shoes. And don’t forget your camera. This is the trip of a lifetime for most, and photos are priceless. We each packed a small journal and wrote in it every night before bed. I have read mine numerous times, as the journal obtains details of experiences I never want to forget.

Money: One member of our group had her purse stolen and another had her wallet removed from her purse. Be vigilant and don’t think that it can’t happen to you. Bring some cash but also your credit card. Be sure you tell your credit card company where you will be traveling. One lady on our trip was purchasing a birthday gift for her son who was with us and his birthday was that very day. Her credit card company denied payment because she hadn’t notified them. It ruined her day and she ended up in tears.

Souvenirs: if you see it and can afford it, buy it. When will you ever get the chance again? For me, the answer is simple. I do not expect to have the opportunity to go there again. Another word of advice: leave room for souvenirs while packing. I ended up buying a piece of luggage because I didn’t allow enough room in the luggage I had!

My first European trip was to Italy. We went to Verona, Venice, Florence, Assisi, Siena, Vatican City, and Rome. Women are required to wear dresses in some of the establishments (churches especially) and to have their shoulders covered. I wore a dress over comfy clothes and then peeled the dress off when finished touring churches. I am just not a dress-wearing-while-touring kind of gal.

Gelato: mmmmm.mmmmm.mmmmm. Get some. Every night.

My second European trip was to France. We went to Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower light up at night, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, the Bastile, the Louvre. We also went to Rouen, Etretat, Normandy, Omaha Beach, St. Malo, Chartres, and Giverny. Here is a photo of me & my sister on our last day at an outdoor café on L’Avenue des Champs Elysées in Paris.

Bucket list: My bucket list has Ireland & Scotland on it. If you have European travel on your bucket list, contact one of the friendly travel agents at Adventure Is Out There Travel, LLC and we would be happy to help you plan your European adventure.

Claudia Eggenberger Co-Owner/Agent Adventure Is Out There Travel, LLC

Disney’s Castaway Cay-A Great Place for Adults!

Published on May 14, 2016May 14, 2016 by Adventure is Out There Travel, LLC1 Comment

Castaway Cay has an adults-only area! My wife and I have been to Castaway Cay four times over three Disney Cruise Line voyages. (and we have another “double-dip” booked for Summer of 2017.) We have only had an opportunity to visit Serenity Bay one time. We think all adults need to visit this adult-only beach!

First, Castaway Cay is everything that you have heard/read (and possibly a lot more). Castaway Cay is one of our family’s favorite vacation spots. There are a vast amount of amenities only steps away at all times. Furthermore, the Port Adventures available at Castaway Cay offer incredible enhancements and a tremendous value. Castaway Cay itself is, in my opinion, an incredible value for families. Just imagine if Disney could build a resort here…

Getting to Serenity Bay is a little more challenging to get to than the other areas of Castaway Cay, but it is not difficult by any means. The tram picks passengers up near the ship. This tram stop is just past Marge’s Barges. On the map, the tram stop is called Kargo Handling. There are two family beach tram stops. The first is at Scuttle’s Cove. Scuttle’s Cove is basically the Oceaneers Club/Lab of Castaway Cay. Parents may drop off children there similar to dropping them off at the clubs on the ship. The second is Pelican Point. Pelican Point is a stop right in the middle of two very vast family beaches. The two beaches are divided by a protruding land mass that would otherwise be a very large lagoon. However, on this peninsula, is the Heads Up bar. It is a great place to have a beverage and take some great photos. We got off of the tram at Pelican Point to wait for another tram to take us to Serenity Bay. I believe the second tram would go between Pelican Point and Serenity Bay for a majority of the day. The second tram picked us up within five minutes, and the ride to Serenity Bay was brief.

View near Kargo Handling

On Castaway Cay with the family.

Serenity Bay is a wonderful place where adults may relax without the hustle and bustle of family life. The biggest difference I remember is how tranquil the environment is. It felt slow, spacious, and quiet. This is much different than the family beaches which are very busy. Great seating is abundant. It was a short walk for my wife and me to find multiple lounge chairs with an umbrella. Shortly after finding “our spot,” a server came by to check on our needs. The service on Serenity Bay is terrific! Our beverages were delivered quickly and our server checked on us often but not too much.

Having fun with the family

The beach at Serenity Bay looks like what you see on an advertisement for tropical resorts. I am not referring to just the white sand and crystal blue water. Those two features can be found at hundreds of locations. The really cool thing about the ocean at Serenity Bay is how far out one can walk. It tapers similar to most beaches. However, there is a sandbar out a little way which is neat to hang out at. The beach also has two key features that allow adults to stay secluded if they wish. 1. A bar. 2. Serenity Bay BBQ. I really, REALLY like Cookies and Cookies Too, but my experience at the Serenity Bay BBQ was amazing. I do not know if it was timing or luck, but my food was prepared to order which is much different than both Cookies locations. I need to stress that the food is good no matter which location you are eating at on the island. Another advantage that I noticed was there was a little less wildlife around the seating area. If you have eaten at Castaway Cay, you have noticed the birds around the seating areas. There seemed to be significantly less birds there. Float and tube rentals are also available for pickup at The Windsock Hut, located at Serenity Bay.

Serenity Bay is a remarkable, relaxing place for adults to enjoy the tropical ecstasy, Castaway Cay. My wife and I recently went on a Disney cruise without our kids. Being in our low 30’s, numerous friends and family questioned why we would go on Disney Cruise Line if we are not travelling with our children. We have several reasons why Disney Cruise Line offers a wonderful experience for an adults-only experience. Serenity Bay is a dazzling highlight of the experience. Please comment below if you agree or disagree.

Justin Eggenberger, Co-owner of Adventure is Out There Travel, LLC

justin@adventureisouttheretravel.com Twitter @JAEggenberger