Spring Break Next Week

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

The kids are out of school next week for Spring break. Junior took a his vacation that week too, so everyone will be home, and there will be no alarm clocks blaring at 2:15 and 5:15 every morning. It's going to be so nice to get more than three hours sleep at a time. We don't really have anything planned, because we weren't sure if Junior's vacation days would be approved. If we had known a few weeks ago, I would have planned a trip to Branson, and stayed at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing.

Why Branson? Because it is close to Silver Dollar City, and this weekend is one of their Family Spring Break Days. This part is family friendly everyday, and I know this because I saw a television show about the Duggars, and this is somewhere they enjoy going, and we all know that they have very strict requirement about what they do with their family.

I also wanted to try out this new ride they have called RiverBlast. Just look at how much fun the kids are having in the picture, and we all know that I am a huge kid at heart, and that I would love something like this.

I should probably also point out that there are lots of stores and boutiques for those who prefer to shop over going to amusement parks, and golf for the men who find that an enjoyable sport. All of these things are within driving, or walking, distance of the Hilton Branson Convention Center, which makes this hotel the perfect place to stay.

But, since I couldn't plan ahead, we are going to spend next week close to home, maybe taking a day trip to the mountains. I will, however, be planning a trip to Branson soon. That water ride is calling my name!

San Francisco

When ever I see pictures like this, I think of the television show Full House. I love these three story houses, nestled so close together. If I ever visit San Francisco, this is definitely something I want to see for myself.

My mom visited San Francisco when my brother graduated from college. She loved it. They did a lot of site seeing, checking out San Francisco Hotels and the Golden Gate Bridge. That's another thing I would love to see if I were ever to visit there.

Have you ever been to San Francisco? If so, what are the best places to visit? You know, the "must see" tourist attractions? I wouldn't want to miss a thing.

The City Of Love

I was researching vacation destinations, again, and this time I was focusing on Paris. I have always heard that this is the city of love, where you can take moonlit strolls and enjoy romantic meals. I know girls dream of having their significant others propose to them in this city. When I think of Paris, I think of love.

That said, I think this would be the perfect place for Junior and I to go to for a second honeymoon. We could stay in different Paris Hotels and take in all the sights. Of course, this would have to be a virtual second honeymoon, because we do not have the money, or the time, to take such a luxurious vacation. Plus, I am still afraid of flying.

All you men out there should consider taking the loves of your lives there if you are planning a proposal. I bet it would be really hard for her to say no.

Out Of The Way Getaways

I know I have been talking a lot lately about getting away from the everyday, mundane things and hitting the road for a nice little getaway. I have been researching different destinations online, and have come to realize that I really do not want to visit a major city. I am sure that all the Hotels In Rome are wonderfully luxurious, but I want something more than a nice hotel room.

I want an experience I will remember.

When Junior and I went on our honeymoon, we had no destination in mind. We just packed a few days worth of clothes and hit the road. We ended up in the mountains of North Carolina, visiting every little hole in the wall place we could find. Our greatest find was a tour of an underground cavern. At one point I was scared to death, because we were on this tiny little metal walkway that went over a bottomless pit, and there was no where to turn around, and we were stuck while the guy spoke about what was beneath us. I about had a panic attack! But, it was an awesome experience, and I don't think we would have found this place if we had a moment by moment itinerary.

Sometimes spontaneity is the way to go.

I'm A Food Junkie

What makes a vacation memorable? Is it the excitement of visiting a new place? Is it the comfort of re-visiting a favorite destination? Is it the food?

Okay, for me it would be the food. What else would you expect from this girl? Whether it is staying in New York Hotels or fancy foreign places, if the food is bad, I will not remember that vacation fondly. It's no secret that I like to eat, and that most of my memories revolve around food. Of course. most of our vacations have been local, because we can only afford to go for a few days at a time. I would love to taste foreign cuisine, and I have been reading a lot about traveling on a tight schedule. If we planned right, we could fit a lot into a one week vacation.

I bet the food in Southeast Asia is amazing. I just hope they don't serve cat. Those rumors aren't true, are they?

Cheese

We love cheese.

That's a funny statement to make, I know, but it's the truth. I love any white cheese, especially mozzarella. In fact, it is one of the things I can not keep in the house, because I will eat it all. It's in the same category as chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter ice cream; I only buy it on special occasions.

Junior is a huge Cheddar fan. Sharp, extra sharp, mild, it doesn't matter. He loves them all. I can buy a one pound block when I grocery shop, and it will be gone in a day or two. This love of cheddar cheese led me to look into places we could go where he could enjoy the best cheddar in the world. I did not know it, but staying in London Hotels puts us close to the perfect place to sample some of the best cheddar in the world, Somerset, England.

I think Junior would enjoy that more than a week of fishing!

New York, New York

Have you ever taken a walking tour?

I have been reading about these, and I am liking what I have discovered. Basically, you meet up with a guide, and together you walk around a major city, taking in the sites. From what I understand, these are one on one tours, so you are not required to keep up with a group. If you want to stop and have lunch at a little cafe you just passed, you can. If you want to take 20 pictures in front of a beautiful church or garden, you can. If you want to skip something that doesn't interest you, you can. In fact, you can do just about whatever you want to. These tours start outside of New York Hotels, or San Fransisco Hotels, and they are a great way to discover a city. I wouldn't mind doing a walking tour of New York the next time I am visiting up there. I have been in the city so many times, especially around Christmas time, but I always feel like there is so much more to the city that I have yet to discover.

And I want to discover it at my own pace.

When In Rome...

I have a big anniversary coming up this year. In June, Junior and I will be married for fifteen years. Some days it feels like we met yesterday, and some days it feels like we have been married forever. Today is one of those forever days.

I think it might be time for us to take a vacation, just the two of us. We have never been anywhere alone, except for our honeymoon. I would love to check out some Rome hotels for a romantic Italian getaway, but I am clueless about travel. Luckily I read an article that contained a bunch of tips to make an Italian getaway not only easy to plan, but affordable as well. There best tip seems to be booking early, and I am guessing that three months in advance isn't early enough to get a great deal on an awesome hotel room. Besides, I am afraid to fly. This means we would have to go somewhere we can drive to, so I was thinking of maybe booking a room in the hotel where we stayed on our wedding night. The problem there is that the hotel is no longer in business. It is now an apartment complex.

Maybe I'll just ship the kids to my mom's for the night, and Junior and I can enjoy some alone time. It's been a while since we have had some of that, too.

Backpacking Around Europe?

How many of you dreamed of traveling the world after high school? You see it in lots of movies and television shows, where the lead character will put off college for a year or two so they can backpack around the world. My question is, does anyone actually do this?

I ask because I wonder what the experience must be like. Staying in far away places must be so exciting, where you can learn the culture and language of other people. It's probably how foreigners feel when they come to the United States and stay in fancy New York Hotels. I would love to experience the cuisine of different countries. I watch enough Food Network to know that there are some interesting culinary practices around the world.

I guess the big question is whether or not I have the courage to get on the plane and take that first step. Because let's face it, I am not the backpacking type.

I Love The South

I live in South Carolina, as most of you know. I grew up on Long Island, though, and lived there until I was in my early twenties. The high school I graduated from was huge. My class alone had over 1200 kids. At my graduation ceremony, it took over two hours just to call out all the names. I remember when it was over, walking back to the car with my parents, and it wasn't where I remembered they had parked it. I found out years later that they had left after my name was called (I was a "C") to go get something to eat.

I don't blame them. If I could have left I would have, too.

I love that my kids go to schools where everyone knows everyone. The staff in the office knows who my kids are when I walk in, and I love that. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I loved growing up in New York, but I would never raise my kids there. I am now a true southerner, even if I do still have my New York accent. I would recommend to everyone that they come visit South Carolina, and if they are anything like me, they will stay. Greenville SC Real Estate is really booming right now, and I have heard that it is a buyers market. I wish Junior and I could afford to buy our own place right now, but it's just not in the cards for us.

Maybe someday...

Holiday Airfare Deals from my Friend in Paradise!

This is a sponsored guest post written by Ali Kendall on behalf of airfare-now.com. Post powered by Sponzai.

Just wanted to send a quick "shout-out" across the Pacific to my friend Ali in sunny Honolulu, Hawaii!

Ali runs the airfare-now.com website with all kinds of tips, coupons, strategies, etc. for findng holiday airfare deals. Now airfare comparison travel sites have come a long way in the past few years but there are still literally thousands of them to choose from. So here's a big aloha and mahalo to Ali for keeping it simple on a pretty nifty little travel website!

Australia, Here I Come. Maybe.

Do you have a dream vacation? Is there somewhere you would love to visit, but know deep down that it will never happen?

For me it is Australia. Not only is this where my future husband, Keith Urban, is from, but it is also the land of koala bears and beautiful beaches. Every time we go to our local zoo, I love visiting the koalas. I just want to reach into their enclosure and give them a squeeze. They remind me of stuffed animals, because they are so small and fluffy.

Don't worry...I also know they are wild animals, and therefor, unpredictable. So I would never actually hold one, or even touch one, but a girl can dream, right? Just like I know Keith isn't really going to be my future husband.

Unless I can find a way to get rid of that Nicole...

Anyway, the point of this post is travel, not my silly fantasies. I know I could never visit Australia because of my fear of flying. And that's a shame, because right now I could take advantage of Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific. They have over one million rooms on sale starting at $30 a night. Rooms in Australia are going for $87 a night. That is an awesome price. You have to book between now and October 30, with stays between December 2009 and April 2010.

Maybe I could find a boat that travels from here to there, like in the olden days. Let's just hope the boat's name isn't Titanic. That might be a bad omen.

Let's Get Away

I never went on a honeymoon. When Junior and I got married, I was pretty pregnant, and money was tight. We spent a few days in the mountains, but never took a real honeymoon. I would love to go hang out on a tropical island someday, with my toes in the sand and good book to read. If you are thinking about this, too, you can find CheapCaribbean Coupons at FindSavings.com, which can help make a getaway more affordable.