Family Universal Orlando Resort Spring Break travel journal. Tips and pics of a full family experience at the Universal Orlando Resort. Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Cabana Bay Resort and Volcano Bay water park. We are so excited to share our family trip to the Universal Orlando Resort! This time it’s all four of […]
So, you know how we’re all about kayaking and do it all the time? Well, after many attempts I’ve had an incredible time Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) and it’s going to be my new favorite activity. After spending a whole day with Ned, the owner of Paddleboard Orlando, I can say with great certainty that […]
Hooray! We get to be a part of the Universal Orlando Resort Blog Squad! This is going to be a crazy and fun experience. What does this mean? It means that throughout the year we’ll be taking several trips to Universal Orlando for fun events, new experiences and just generally great family time. This particular […]
Something that we always try to do with our kids, particularly since we are worldschooling, them is visiting historical sites. We visit Atlanta Georgia quite frequently and I’ve gotten the chance to go to Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site a couple of times. Oliver, our oldest is starting to understand why we visit […]
It’s been two years since we first fell in love with the Golden Isles of Georgia. Our first experience was on St Simons Island when we visited the King and Prince Resort. From the food to the Spanish moss, we were hooked. And now we’ve gotten to explore another of the Golden Isles: Jekyll Island. […]
Enough people have asked us about Blue Spring State Park after seeing the pictures we’ve posted on Instagram and such that we just have to write about it and share our tips. Florida has over 1000 natural springs and they’re all a little different. Some are in high traffic areas like on the Crystal River […]
On the northern border of Everglades National Park there’s a pretty cool Florida landmark. No, we’re not talking about the Tamiami Trail, even though Highway 41 is fun to drive, but we’re talking about Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress is a part of the National Parks Service and it’s pretty cool with its swamps […]
Most random place I’ve visited in a long while: Mobile, Alabama. When I first found out that I got to go I was neutral in my excitement. And then I started researching; and then I got there; and then I fell in love. Mobile, Alabama’s theme for the city is “Born to Celebrate” and really, […]
One of the primary reasons we travel with our kids and show them as much of the world as we can is because we want them to grow up to be educated stewards of our world. One way to do this is by participating in ecotourism, and in Florida there are some great opportunities for […]
We’ve shared all kinds of non-beach things to do in Florida because we just love how different Florida’s nature is from that of our local Pacific Northwest, but we certainly love the beaches too. From the edge of the Everglades to the start of the Panhandle, the Florida Gulf Coast beaches are beautiful and each […]
We always love to visit places we’ve heard about but never been before. We especially love finding the unknown side of a city or area…. like Daytona Beach. The first thing that comes to mind when you hear Daytona is either NASCAR racing or spring break, but we were just there exploring the area and […]
By now you know that we’re head over heals in love with Florida (#LoveFL). St Augustine caught us with its charm and history. The Everglades stole our hearts with the gators and one-of-kind landscape. Rainbow Springs left us speechless with its crystal clear water and endless fun. St Pete Beach and Fort De Soto are […]
We are so fortunate! We’ve gotten to visit St Augustine and Florida’s Historic Coast a few times now and each time we love it more and more. On this most recent visit we got to spend a lot more time exploring the nature of the area and we’ve got some awesome ideas for outdoor activities […]
Most of what we share is National Park-centric, but we’re going to stray just a bit to share one of the most shockingly beautiful sights we’ve ever seen. Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon, Florida is the type of place you’ve seen in fantasy movies or whimsical paintings. Seriously pretty beyond pretty. And it’s so […]
We have a solid appreciation for staying in a nice hotel in the middle of a long camping trip. On our recent Florida Gulf Coast road trip we enjoyed an awesome experience trekking up and down the coast in an Escape Campervan, but halfway through we were treated to a break at the Plantation on […]
Bucket list item: Everglades National Park. Done. Can’t wait to go back. Must explore more. The end. Just kidding, we have much more to say. So, the Everglades is the coolest area and we’ve never been anyplace else like it. Everglades National Park and the surrounding area will leave you saying wow and itching to […]
So often we see people asking questions in online forums about how to add a land portion to a cruise they’re going on or what they can do with just a day or two someplace. We have a thousand answers for those questions. I mean, if you’re cruising out of San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, or […]
Since the first time we visited Florida as a family we’ve wanted to see more and more of the Sunshine State. Florida offers a variety of family road trip options ranging from beach vacation, island hopping in the Keys, to exploring the one-of-a-kind nature on the Gulf Coast. We just completed an epic Florida Gulf […]
Christmas is such a hoot. We love getting to do Christmassy, holidayish things and especially love traveling during the holidays. We just returned from Atlanta where we were visiting family and did a few fun, special holiday activities there. In addition to visiting the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, we also got to do some exploring […]
We often return to places that we have really enjoyed in the past, especially when it’s a place of learning and science that completely fascinates the kids. The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee is just that: engaging, fun and perfect for family travel. Fyi, I just want to apologize in advance because this article is going to […]
We’ve been to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield a few times now. It’s one of those places that has both historical significance and modern day appeal. What? What sort of appeal is there to a battlefield, particularly with kids? Well, we’ll tell you. There’s more the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield site than just what the name […]
One of the best family travel trips we’ve done was our visit to Jacksonville Beach and St Augustine. Experiencing Florida’s Historic Coast with the kids was so much fun and we did SO MANY THINGS. So, I got to do some Jacksonville solo travel and it was totally different. I didn’t get up early […]
You know that we’re all about family travel and experiencing everything together or having the random weekend as a couple. Well, I (Rob) just did the unthinkable: solo travel. Whaaattt?!?!?! Yes, it’s true. I spoke at WordCamp in Jacksonville, Florida (#WCJAX) and made the journey all by my lonesome. Thank goodness for Mister BNB. MisterBNB […]
Why in the world are we making a non complete guide to lighthouses in the USA?? Simple: there are so many lighthouses that one could not possibly hope to visit them all… but we are trying to, so as we add more and more to our roster, we’ll share them too. Having a non complete […]
Originally written for GaysWithKids.com When people ask us where our favorite places to return to for family travel are, we’re pretty quick with our answers: Cabo San Lucas, Disneyland, Georgia/Florida… Georgia and Florida? Like, the South? Yes, it’s true. We’ve written before about how the South is changing and how it’s worth giving a second […]
Georgia, ooohhh Georgia… Yep, it’s on our mind a lot because we love it. Or at least we love most of it. And we always think it’s hot in the South. Like, always. It’s not though. Did you know they can get snow and frost and stuff? OMG! Okay, that’s an extreme reaction to standard […]
By now you know that we’re in love with St Simons Island, Georgia. It’s nautical, historical, beachy, covered in Spanish moss. Perfect. So, what’s the best way to see and get a good feel of the island? Biking St Simons Island from end to end is just awesome. Family travel can sometimes limit your activity […]
The southeastern United States is a really fascinating area. It’s got the colonial and Civil War history; it’s full of tidelands, swamps and interesting wildlife; and its own past is a varied collection of maritime lore and people. As you stroll through the village area of St Simons Island, it’s got that quasi-Caribbean feel with […]
And our lighthouse obsession continues… On St Simons Island, the largest of Georgia’s Golden Isles, there stands a picturesque beacon just off the boardwalk. It’s surrounded by palm trees, oaks and green grass. It’s not too tall, but clearly breaks the skyline: the St Simons Island Lighthouse. You know we love to visit lighthouses for many […]
Historical sites rock for family travel. Well, most of the time. No, all of the time. Here’s why: they’re a snapshot of a moment in time that we’ll never experience again. Sometimes those sites are really well preserved and you can step back in time with little use of the imagination. Heck, sometimes there are […]
If there’s one thing that’s iconic of a coastal vacation or anything maritime, it’s lighthouses. They’re tall, striking, weird buildings that really bring the feel of the ocean directly onshore. In the Pacific Northwest we have them every 100 meters (total exaggeration) because it is so stormy and foggy all of the time, and a […]
A town like St Augustine, Florida is great to explore with kids because there are so many sights and fun things to do around every corner. We didn’t do half of what we could have, but we still did a ton. Every town or city has its must-see sights. In NYC you’ve got the Statue […]
Our family is all about the beach and you know we #LoveFL. At home, we live across the street from the beach. We go on weekend trips to the beach. We go walking on the beach even if it’s a freezing cold day and there’s not a chance of getting in the water. You know […]
You’ve been in St Augustine all day and are ready to end it on a high note. The town is wonderful and it’s so calm and relaxed everywhere, but you’ve been walking so much because every narrow street is just taunting you to head that way. You’re tired. What can you do to make the […]
Before we had kids we’d relax each night by watching HGTV or the Food Network and dream about renovating our kitchen or maybe dining out every night. And then kids happened and we realized that we’d rather build with blocks and eat grilled cheese sandwiches. But then we travel and are immediately reminded that there […]
When we first heard about the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort, we’d never heard of St Simons Island, Georgia. To us, the Georgia coast consisted of Savannah and maybe Tybee Island… wait, is that in Georgia? Oh yes, it is. Anyways, we peeked at it and were like, wow, um, the beach is […]
Beyond pirates and forts, we were excited to experience alligators in Florida. One reason we knew we’d #LoveFL is because gators are our favorite animal…next to sharks. When we found out about the St Augustine Alligator Farm we just had to go. Without researching it at all we added it to our itinerary (thinking maybe […]
We often tell strangers about Seattle and how the Pacific Northwest is the land of neighborhoods where there is a different vibe in every area. Each district of the city has its own parks, pizza and breweries. Breweries. Many of them. Everywhere. Because of this interesting aspect of our northwest culture, we love being out […]
Before we got to Florida, we’d built it up a bit to our kids. You know, it’s all pirates and alligators everywhere. With that, we also told a few lies… like there are pirate forts and you can find treasure on the beach. Well, that built up the excitement even though we lost a little […]
When you’re traveling with your family and you don’t have your own kitchen, it’s pretty likely that you’ll be dining out… a lot. That’s both fun and irritating. We love restaurants, for sure, but we don’t love showing up someplace and then looking for a kids menu and it’s just a grilled cheese sandwich or […]
2 dads traveling the globe with their 2 sons, teaching them the value of culture and education, experiencing the outdoors, and giving the kids a broad world view.
