Looking for a Fun Family Vacation? Rent an RV!

You’ve done the theme parks, and you’ve been to all the tourist traps. You want a vacation that is not only fun but relatively stress free — a vacation where you are not spending most of your time waiting in line, not surrounded by huge crowds, and not shelling out a fortune. You want something different, a way to really make some memories. Renting an RV  may be the answer you are looking for, especially if you have kids.

• An RV Is More Fun Than a Hotel - A hotel room can be rather small and restrictive, and most of the time there are just a couple of beds, a TV, and a bathroom. But an RV has it all — a kitchen for midnight snacks, a table for family game night, and a bed for an afternoon nap. Unlike in a hotel room, you and your family can spend evenings outside enjoying a campfire and each other’s company. And when you’re ready to hit the hay, your bedroom is just a few feet away.
• RV Parks Are Fun, Too! - If you haven’t been to an RV campground in a while, you might be in for a surprise. There are some great RV parks that are full of sights you’d never get to see if you were stuck in a hotel. Many of these places are not too far from major cities. If you run into trouble, you can find a mobile RV repair Waco TX company to get you back on the road.
• You’ll Save Money - If you stay in a hotel, you have to shell out some money for expensive restaurants, but an RV has its own portable kitchen. This might be a great time for the kids to pitch in and make some meals, and think of all the money you can save!

If you and your family are staying in an RV, you also don’t have to worry about transportation to the sights you want to see, and you don’t have to pay extra for a rental car or a taxi. A rental RV is inexpensive and the possibilities for fun are limitless. It might just become your family's choice for an annual vacation.

Newspaper Delivery Options

As I mentioned, we recently went to Florida with our family. As always, when planning to be away from home for any length of time, I had our mail and newspaper held. Mail is easy - have it held at the Post Office, and then have it all delivered when we come home. But, when I go to have the newspaper held, I have a few options:

Looks logical, right? The only problem is that there is absolutely no reason for that first choice. When I missed a paper or went on vacation in Wisconsin, the amount for those papers we did not receive was deducted from our monthly charge. Simple, right? We did not get the papers; we did not have to pay for them.

Here it does not work that way. I was talking to one of the customer service representatives a while back and asked about the fact that my monthly charge never varied - even though I'd had some missed papers or vacation holds. She told me that once we built up an entire month's worth of credit, we wouldn't be charged for a month.

Well, that monthly charge just keeps coming.


We only get the paper Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - though we'd rather just get the Sunday paper and leave it at that, but that's not an option. For a few weeks in a row recently, our Friday paper was not being delivered, so I reported it online and asked that our account be credited. Eventually, I got a call from the newspaper telling me that they couldn't credit anymore that month - we apparently missed a lot of newspapers, not sure what was going on. It's a bit confusing, but when a paper is missed, they just extend the month a bit and charge the credit card on a later date than it would have been - or something like that. I'm honestly not sure if that's true or not because my credit card is charged automatically, and I haven't figured out exactly when the charge comes through. I probably should look at the history, but let's give them that...

Then, since I was already on the phone with someone from the newspaper, I asked about my vacation credits - because I've been choosing that first option every time we go away for a weekend, and now that we've lived here for 4 years, we should have built up at least enough credit for a free month. Right?

Nope!

Apparently, if you go on vacation here and choose that first option, you just forfeit your newspapers, even though you've paid for them. No credit.  That just seems wrong on so many levels, but it's really frustrating that they even list that first option. Just leave it off and be clear and upfront about the fact that I can either donate my newspapers to a classroom (which I did this year and would have done in the past) or I can get them all delivered when I get home - but under no circumstances is that going to affect my subscription or the amount I will pay for the month.

Three Reasons to Sell Your Timeshare

Owning a timeshare is like owning a vacation home or property. The resorts behind these homes offer larger units with enough space for your family and friends and smaller units that are suitable for just two people. Though some function more as vacation clubs and let you visit different destinations and book different unit types, many require that you stay in the same place and the same unit year after year. Even if the resort makes it hard for you to terminate your contract, you may still want to sell your timeshare and end that contract for a few clear reasons.

• Your Lifestyle Changes
  A common reason to get rid of your timeshare is that your lifestyle changes. While a small timeshare in a romantic destination might be great during the early days of your marriage, you may need more space once you begin having children. If you own a timeshare in a party city, you'll also want to sell because that resort doesn't offer opportunities or activities for kids. Timeshare termination can also happen because you recently separated or went through a divorce and no longer want to visit the same place you visited with your former spouse.
• Medical Issues
  When you learn that you have a serious medical issue, you may want to stay home and care for yourself rather than travel to another part of the country. The same thing is true when your spouse receives a diagnosis of a serious medical condition. Caring for your loved one is more important than taking a vacation. Medical conditions can also limit the amount of money that you have to spend on your travels too. You'll need to pay for hospital visits and medications and won't have the money to fly to your timeshare resort.
• Loss of Income
  Another reason why you might want to sell your timeshare is that you lose your job, take on a new job or have your hours cut back at work. As you make less money, you need to prioritize how you spend money. Paying for a timeshare and a luxury vacation will take a backseat to paying your mortgage and putting food on the table. 

Depending on the contract that you signed, timeshare termination can be easy or it can be really hard. Thankfully there are experts who can help you terminate your contract or find a buyer willing to take over your timeshare.

How to Travel When You Have a Baby on Board

I know so many people who have just had or are going to be having babies soon, so when I saw this list, I thought it would be worth a share.

New parents love staying at home with their new babies, but sometimes a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered. Getting out of the house and out of town can re-energize you and your children.

1. If you’re traveling by car, feel free to overpack. While you may not use everything you bring along, you’ll have peace of mind that you have everything available should something go wrong.
2. If you don’t want to bring along your regular baby monitor, apps like Presence work on two video-capable devices, like your iPhone and tablet. You can set one up with your baby and keep the other on you to monitor them when you’re not in the same room.
3. Be prepared to carry a lot more than you used to, both during the actual travel portion of your trip and when sightseeing, going out to restaurants, taking a walk, and whatever other activities you have planned.
4. Try to stay calm, no matter what’s going on. Children take cues from their parents. If you’re calm during a stressful situation, you’ll help your child stay calm, too. When you save money on hotels in Boston, it’s easy to feel at ease throughout your trip.
5. Make sure you have extra diapers in your carry-on, plus a few changes of clothes.
6. If you’re traveling somewhere sunny, don’t forget the baby sunblock! When you’re not used to being on the beach, in the ocean or out in the sunshine, it’s easy to forget sun protection essentials.
7. Always pack a baby emergency kit with medicine, bandages and anything else you may need.
8. Get your child amped for the flight by talking to them about what an airplane is and what they’re going to do to keep busy during the flight.

It can extremely hard in the early months to get out of the house. Rest assured that many travel vendors are accommodating to new parents. By vacationing in a family-friendly place, you’ll have the benefit of having plenty of resources and things to do nearby.

Do you have any great travel tips for new parents?

SAVE in San Antonio

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of SAVE for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you still looking for a place to get away this summer?  Be sure to check out San Antonio.  There are plenty of things to do and see - theme parks, water parks, ranches, zoos, and much more.  San Antonio is already known as one of the nation’s most affordable vacation destinations, but it's even better with SAVE – San Antonio Vacation Experience.  SAVE offers more than $600 in savings on theme parks, animal adventures, top shops and historic tours, plus great deals on hotels.  You can print coupons from the site or download the free mobile app and use the coupons straight from your phone.  Either way you can save lots of money on a great family vacation.
 
You know how much I hate paying full price for anything, and I rarely go anywhere without first checking online to see if there is any way to save.  This site makes it super easy to find all the savings available in the San Antonio area - without checking multiple websites.  If I had some time to get away to San Antonio, I'd definitely be checking out SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and the world-famous Schlitterbahn water park.  There are multiple discounts available at all of them, such as buy one get one free admission at Six Flags and the option to pay for one day's admission to SeaWorld and go back as many times as you want.  We've been to SeaWorld in Florida, and we liked it so much we would have loved to go back, but we didn't feel we could afford it.  With these kinds of savings, we could have.  SAVE gets you $2 off full-price admission to Schlitterbahn.

Something that might be a lot of fun would be to take a helicopter tour.  What a great way to see the area!  I'm sure it's not cheap, but SAVE offers 10% off Alamo Helicopter Tours.  And, of course, there are savings on hotels. SAVE rates at the Comfort Suites Alamo/Riverwalk range from $79-$189, and you get a suite room with free hot breakfast, refrigerator & microwave in room, free wifi, and even a free shuttle to downtown, so it looks like a great place to spend some time away.  And the Days Inn Seaword has SAVE rates starting at $59.

These are just a few of the many attractions in San Antonio and the savings that are available.  Be sure to check out the SAVE – San Antonio Vacation Experience site to see how much you can save on the attractions and accomodations you're interested in.  The savings are especially great for families because, in many instances, children's admission is free.  The Alamo IMAX Theatre Rivercenter is one of those places that offers free children's admission, and McNay Art Museum is another.  There seems to be something for everyone in San Antonio.

Besides the regular discounts and coupons available, SAVE also has many Limited Time Offers, so be sure to check the site right before you leave for vacation, or even better, while you're there - the mobile app will be handy for that - because you may be able to save even more or find a deal on something you really wanted to see or do but didn't think you'd be able to.  Be sure to follow @SAVEinSA on Twitter as well for all the updates on deals, limited time offers & ideas to help plan your trip to San Antonio.

It Pays to Vacation at Home

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Clorox Company for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the cost of gas, many people are saving money by vacationing at home - Staycationing instead of vacationing.  It's a really good idea, because if you're like us, there are tons of things to do in your local area that you never do - because you just don't have the time or because you feel you can always go there.  At least that's my excuse...
 
This summer, not only can you save money on gas and hotel rooms and see some of your local sites - or just hang out in the backyard with the kids - you could even get paid to do it.  How, you ask?  By entering the It Pays to Vacation at Home sweepstakes from Dollar General and Clorox®.  20 lucky grand prize winners will be selected to receive a $500 "paycheck" and 100 lucky winners will win a $25 Dollar General gift card.
 
Simply visit dollargeneral.com to register.  Then, once you register, you can also play the “Wipe To Win”  game for the chance to win a $10 Dollar General gift card.  You take a virtual Clorox® Disinfecting Wipe and wipe the virtual fridge to find out if you won or not.  I played.  I didn't win - but I can try again tomorrow.  There will be 100 instant win prizes given away.

Be sure to enter the It Pays to Vacation at Home sweepstakes for your own chance at some of the prizes, and remember you can pick up all your favorite Clorox® cleaning products at Dollar General - Pine-Sol® Multi-Surface cleaners, Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes, and Clorox® Liquid-Bleach, to name a few.  (Interesting - as I'm typing this, there's a commercial for Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes on tv.)  Just rember that, even if you are staying home,  you are not allowed to spend your entire vacation cleaning!!   That wouldn't be a vacation, would it?

This contest runs now through June 24, 2012.  Good luck!

Fall Fun in Branson

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

I love Fall.  I think it's my favorite time of year - at least at this time of year!  Yeah, I'm fickle like that.  Whatever season I'm in, that's my favorite.  Right now I'm loving the colors on the trees.  They're just so gorgeous with all the bright reds and oranges and yellows.

Right now would be a great time to visit Branson.  Not only could we enjoy all the great attractions Branson has to offer like live theater music shows, championship golf courses, that zip line I'm really dying to try, shopping, museums, and more, but we could enjoy the beautiful Fall colors!  I'm thinking it would be really spectacular to try that zipline at this time of year - zipping through all the bright colored trees.

We could stay at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and be close to just about everything.  They're offering three great packages right now:

• The Silver Dollar City package which features two adult and two children's tickets to Silver Dollar City and rooms starting at $257.50/night.
• The Santa Claus package which features deluxe accommodations for a family of four (two adults and two children) and breakfast with Santa at the Level 2 restaurant with a special gift for the children. Rooms start at just $228 a night.
  
• And for the shoppers, a deluxe shopping package which includes hotel accommodations, a $25 gift card to Branson Landing, a second $25 gift card to Tanger Outlets, and complimentary breakfast buffet for two!
  

It sounds like there is plenty to do any time of year in Branson, and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel or the Hilton Promenade are the perfect places to stay.  Maybe even Thanksgiving when the Level 2 Steakhouse offers a Thanksgiving Brunch.

Win a Free Stay at the Kalahari Resort

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kalahari® Resorts for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
 
I live in Wisconsin.  Our summers are not excessively hot, and they're not really that long.  That's why I've always wondered who decided the Wisconsin Dells would be the 'Waterpark Capital of the World' when it would make more sense for it to be in a hot state - like Florida, for instance.  Then, someone came up with the brilliant idea of indoor waterparks.  Indoor!  Waterparks that can be used any time of year no matter the weather.  Perfect for Wisconsin.
 
One of the biggest indoor waterparks in the Dells is at the Kalahari Resort.  They have an outdoor waterpark too, open Memorial Day to Labor Day weather permitting, but we've only been to the indoor one.  We had a great time.  They've got huge twisting water slides, smaller slides, water guns,net crawls, basketball hoops, the Master Blaster water coaster, water falls, hot tubs, a lazy river, and FlowRider which is like an ocean wave you can surf or boogie board.  I watched some people on that one but never actually gave it a try.  It's very safe, but I was afraid of wiping out and making a fool of myself.  I really should get over that, huh?  Well, next time!  Besides the waterpark, the Kalahari also has mini golf, laser tag, go karts, arcade games and more - which we did not have time for.
 
There is just so much to do, and I'm sure we would have been able to do more if we'd been staying at the resort instead of just spending the day at the waterpark.  There are several different specials and package deals available on the website that include not only overnight accommodations but waterpark admission for each registered guest, food credit, spa services, etc.  It would be a really nice getaway!
 
You could win your own getaway to the Kalahari Resort by entering this contest.  All you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment on the contest post about the feature or amenity you are the most excited to experience when visiting a Kalahari resort.
2. Tweet out a message containing a link back to the contest rules and the hashtag #KalahariResorts

and you could win a FREE 1-night stay for a family of 4, access to the indoor/outdoor theme parks, bowling & golfing. Total ARV of all prizes over $250.00.  Contest ends 11:59 p.m. EST on September 30, 2011.  Good luck!

Stay up to date and be among the first to learn about new deals and contests at the Kalahari by connecting with them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/kalahariresorts) or Twitter  (http://twitter.com/KalahariResorts)

Spring Break in Branson

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

Why is it that Florida gets all the attention when it comes to Spring Break?  There's plenty to do in other places.  Take Branson, for instance.  There are some really great events happening there this spring, the Charlie Daniels Band, the 3rd Annual Missouri Food and Wine Festival, and something called Bluegrass and BBQ to name just a few.  There's always great entertainment in Branson, with 49 live entertainment theaters, not to mention shopping, golf, and Silver Dollar City.  I'm thinking we can leave Florida to the crazy college students, and the rest of us can enjoy Branson.
 
The Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel is offering some nice packages for Spring.  They include tickets to Silver Dollar City as well as food and beverage vouchers and start at $455 for a 2-day, 3-night stay.  We really enjoy amusement parks, so Silver Dollar City would definitely be on our list of things to do in Branson.  I'm also thinking that Food and Wine Festival sounds like fun.  I know Jeffrey would want to play some golf, and I would love to try the zip lines I've heard they have in Branson.  With so much to do, I don't think 2 days is enough time at all.  But at least it's a start.
 
Both the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel and the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing are in the midst of all that's great to see and do in Branson.  So, if you want to do more with your Spring Break than get drunk and enter wet t-shirt contests, give Branson some thought.  I'm certainly thinking I'd like to go.
 

A Day of Rest

It's nice to just have a day home with nothing that really needs done.  That doesn't happen often, but once a month we have Friday night Bible Study, and then we get the Sabbath to spend at home.  Or, I suppose, we could go visit other churches or groups, but we really enjoy not having to go anywhere.

Some days we get online and listen to sermons or studies from groups around the country.  Isn't technology great?  Today I made French Toast for brunch, and then read a book, while Weasley curled up next to me, and just took it easy for the rest of the day.   No, it's not really a vacation, but it's a good break from the regular everyday activities that keep us busy the rest of the week.  God definitely knew what He was doing when he rested on the 7th day, sanctified and blessed it, and gave it to us as a day of rest.

A Relaxing Weekend, That's What I Need

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

This past weekend was definitely not relaxing.  It was the weekend for the school musical, and we spent a lot of time at the school helping out.  Now that our son has graduated, you'd think we wouldn't be involved any more, but it just doesn't seem to work that way.  Seriously, it would be a shame for the kids to put all that work into the production and then not be heard during the show, so Jeffrey will probably help with the sound as often as he can - though his goal is to get the school set up with some of their own equipment and a knowledge of how to use it so that they won't need him anymore.  We'll see how that works out.

After a busy weekend like that, I really would love to have a relaxing weekend to look forward to.  I was scrolling through some of these special packages at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing, and the Romance Package and Bed & Breakfast Package both sound like they'd be quite relaxing.  The only problem is that there's so much to do in Branson, that just getting away for some relaxation would seem like such a waste.  I'd want to get out and do some stuff - see some shows (there are 49 live entertainment theaters in Branson), visit some museums, theme parks, and have dinner and a show on a showboat, just for starters.  I really want to try out the zip lines, too.

The Fall in the City Package at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel sounds like just the package for seeing a bit of everything Branson has to offer.  It starts at $309.50/night with a two-night minimum stay, and includes two tickets on the Showboat Branson Belle for dinner and the show, two adult tickets to Silver Dollar City, a 50th Anniversary Silver Dollar City Souvenir Book and a $25 hotel food and beverage credit! Definitely not relaxing, but it certainly sounds like fun.  I really want to visit Silver Dollar City one of these days, so that would be perfect, especially with the whole anniversary thing going on.   And if you're into shopping, there's a Shopping Package that includes deluxe accommodations, breakfast, and a gift card to the outlet mall.  I don't really love shopping, but I do enjoy a good outlet mall!

One of these days, I really want to get away for some fun in Branson.  I'm pretty sure it won't be very relaxing, because we'll be too busy having a good time.  If you've been to Branson, let me know what your favorite things are to do there - so we don't miss anything.

Related articles

• Fall in the City Shopping Package in Branson MO (table4five.net)
• R&R: Plan Your Getaway to Branson, Missouri (anneonlife.com)

Fremont Street, Pics but No Video

While we were in Vegas, we stayed at the 4 Queens on Fremont Street.  We got in fairly early Saturday evening, so we spent Saturday night roaming the street, seeing what was going on, listening to music, and watching the light shows.  I took quite a few pictures, but it wasn't until I got home that I even thought about video.  Pictures are good, but...

Yeah, I'm good.  Luckily there are quite a few videos available on YouTube, from people who actually thought to shoot some video.  Just search 'Fremont Street Experience' and you'll find all kinds of them.  Here's one of the Queen Tribute:




Starting at 8:30pm each night, there's a different show each hour.

• 8:30pm - Don McLean's American Pie (didn't see)
• 9pm - Doors Strange Days (didn't see)
• 10pm - Queen Tribute
• 11pm - KISS over Vegas
• 12m - Signs of Life - JVH
• 1am - Bad to the Bone (saw this one the last night, liked it the best)

Fremont Street Experience

So, Vegas

Soon, very soon, I want to sit down and recap all the highlights, lowlights, etc. of our Vegas trip.  I know they say "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," but I'm not sure that applies to bloggers.  Also, there are definitely some things that should be told.  So, when I get a chance, I will be telling - and posting some pics, too.

One thing I have to mention - before we went I read all kinds of things online.  People said be sure to bring comfortable shoes because you will be doing a lot of walking and be sure to have some sunscreen because Las Vegas is in the desert, and that sun is hot.  What they didn't say is to bring some good eye cream that will moisturize and hopefully do something about those under-eye circles - because you will not get enough sleep.  Sure, we weren't getting up as early as we normally do, but that's good because we weren't getting to bed until way after our bedtime.  In fact, the last night we were there, we didn't sleep at all.  The shuttle was picking us up at 4:30am to go to the airport, so we just stayed up.  Sometime we are going to have to catch up on that missed night of sleep - the little naps on the airplane didn't do it.

Thankfully, the weekend is almost here.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Fourteen things you didn't know about Las Vegas (gadling.com)

Looking at the Sky on Friday - 59

I’m so glad there’s a meme like Looking at the Sky on Friday, because it means all the time I spend looking at the sky, and taking pictures of it, has a purpose! Click the badge for more info.

Jeffrey and I just got back from a few days in Las Vegas.  We’d never been there, and he’d been wanting to go for a long time.  So, we left our almost 18-year-old son home alone and flew off to Vegas.  So, of course I have to share a pic or two of the sky over the Vegas Strip.  Just a few from the first day:

If you enjoy skies as much as I do, be sure to check out Looking at the Sky on Friday.

Pies and Prizes in Branson

I've won a pie contest or two in my life. The secret? Make chocolate! At least it seemed that way. One time I made this really complicated, caramel apple pie which I thought was amazing, but that didn't win. The next two times I made chocolate pie and won both times.

What does this have to do with anything? I just found out about the first annual Great American Pie Contest which is going to be held in Branson April 24-25 this year. Al Roker from the Today show will be there, and first prize is $2,500 cash, plus a trip for two for a 4-day/3-night fun-filled vacation in Branson. There are special room rates available at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, which is adjacent to the Branson Convention Center, where the pie contest is being held. This special block of rooms is available for April 20 – 29 and can be reserved through March 22 or until they're sold out.

So, a vacation to Branson, with special room rates, to enter the pie contest could mean another vacation to Branson. Two for the price of one! And pie. The more I look at things to do in Branson, the more I think I want to go there someday. I like the idea of the pie contest, but Jeffrey probably wouldn't be too excited about that. He'd rather have me make that chocolate pie just for him. I think he'd like playing golf and seeing some shows, though. I'd like to visit the Titanic museum and Silver Dollar City, and that's only the beginning. There's so much there that you definitely need to plan your visit beforehand, and stay for a while - or win that pie contest and go back. Remember - chocolate!

This is Me, Screaming

I just learned that SeaWorld is opening a new ride in May. It's called the Manta, and it looks absolutely amazing! You ride laying down, attached to the belly of a giant Manta, so it's like you're actually flying. I love roller coasters, and I've always wanted to fly - so this ride ought to about cover it. It will also have a cool aquarium.

Ted Murphy has a video on his blog from the IZEA exclusive hard hat tour of Manta, and I am seriously going to need to ride this! Hopefully IZEA and SeaWorld can help me out with that, because they've teamed up to create wicked contest called Manta Mania.

One person will win a trip for four to SeaWorld including airfare, hotel and two full days at the park. Not only that… you will get priority access to ride Manta!

Two full days at the park - one to see Shamu and the aquariums and all the rest of what makes SeaWorld the best park in Orlando, and one whole day to ride Manta, over and over and over... Do you see why I'm screaming? Besides the obvious that I always scream on roller coasters because that makes them more fun. I'm screaming, "Pick me! Pick me!"

Run on over to Ted's blog to see how you can enter Manta Mania!

Plan Your New Jersey Vacation Now

I love amusement parks and water parks. Unfortunately, we don't get a chance to visit them as often as I'd like. I guess if we got to go every weekend, we might get tired of the rides and fun, right? Wouldn't it be fun to try and find out whether that's true or not? Actually, I'd much rather visit during the week, in hopes that the lines wouldn't be so long. If only there was a way to avoid those lines...

I've been reading that Morey's Piers is one of the best water parks in New Jersey, so I would definitely like to spend at least a day there if we ever get to spend some time in New Jersey. They have two beachfront water parks. Have I mentioned that I love beaches, too? So, two beachfront water parks and three piers full of fun amusement rides, like Great White, Doo Wopper, and Sky Coaster. They all look like lots of fun, judging by the videos. If it wasn't for Morey's Piers, I don't think I ever would have thought of taking a New Jersey vacation, but now I'm thinking it would be a really fun place to visit.

It looks like now is the time to start planning that Jersey Shore beach Vacation because Morey's Piers is having a holiday sale. Now, at special holiday prices, you can buy Season Passes, MOR-EZ Ticket Cards, and Gift Cards. The holiday sale runs through January 9, and you can save nearly 40% on a Season Pass. Morey's Piers looks like a great place for a New Jersey vacation, and their website is a great place to find hotels and motels in Wildwood.

Vacation Planning

Since Beth went to Florida with Tim and has been talking about all the fun things they did, I've been thinking it would be fun to go back to Florida. Along with those great Florida beaches on both sides of the state, there are also so many things to do in Orlando. Our favorite place to visit was Sea World, but we also enjoyed Disney and Universal Studios. It seemed like kind of a waste, but Tim's mom took them to Universal Studios when they were visiting. I say a waste because Beth wouldn't ride any of the fun (read scary) rides. Tim had to go without her on several of them. I remember the last time we took her there - she was 1. So I ended up going on at least one ride by myself because she was too little. Then when we went back to Florida when she was 6, and Cory was 4, we took the kids to Disneyworld. The Pirates of the Caribbean ride scared them. They only liked the It's a Small World ride, which seriously is enough to make an adult's head explode. Maybe we should have looked for things to do in Las Vegas instead.

Because everyone likes different things, it's important to plan your vacation ahead of time, so you get the most out of your limited vacation time and everyone gets to have some fun. One of the easiest ways to do it is to sign up for the Trusted Tours & Attractions newsletter. Each month you get informative, useful, and practical articles, travel tips, and money saving deals. Sign up now, and you'll be entered to win a $150 Magellans gift certificate. Last month, they were giving away a $150 iTunes gift card, and before that a camera, so besides great online travel guides and savings on attraction tickets, they have chances to win some great prizes, just for letting them help you plan your next vacation.

We could have visited Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas.

Wednesday in New Jersey

It's been ages since we've been to an amusement park. We have one not too far from here, but somehow we never get around to going. The truth is we tend to do more fun things when we're away from home on vacation. That's pretty typical, I suppose. So, if I want to do something fun, we're going to need to get away, maybe on a family beach vacation to New Jersey. There's a really great-looking park there called Morey's Piers, and I would love to go there.

They have special deals every day of the week, and I've found the perfect deal, for me and Jeffrey, definitely not for the kids, though. Listen to this:

XTREME RIDE WEDNESDAYS - $30

Take a turn on each Xtreme ride, then enjoy unlimited rides on all six roller coasters AND AtmosFEAR.

Oh yeah - unlimited roller coasters! My kids are wimps. They won't want to have anything to do with those roller coasters. Instead they'll want to spend time at the New Jersey waterparks. Morey's Piers has those, too. They have one called Raging Waters that looks like lots of fun.

Morey's Piers looks like a great place for a New Jersey vacation, and you can even book your hotel on their website. I guess I only have two questions - When can we go? and is it still considered a family vacation if we're not actually spending time together? There's so much to do at Morey's Piers, I'm sure we could find something we'd all enjoy doing together, if it's only eating pizza.

I Wanna Be Seaside

Instead of working on the calendar, like I'm supposed to, I'm looking at oceanfront homes in Mexico. I get really easily distracted, especially when I'm confronted with pictures of beaches and the ocean. I love the beach. My idea of a perfect vacation involves a lot of lying around on the beach and playing in the ocean.

Seaside Beach Home Rentals looks like a great place to start planning a Mexico beach vacation. They have all kinds of private homes and villas listed. There are various sizes, anywhere from 2 to 7 bedrooms with lots of great amenities. Some of these larger houses would be great for a Rocky Point Mexico wedding, because the house can accommodate the whole wedding party. Some of these have adjoining properties for even more guests. These would be great for a family reunion vacation, too. Find a house you like, you can request more information or send in a reservation request. You can even give them the number in your party and what you are looking for, and they will suggest a house for you.

I would much rather vacation in a home or villa than in some hotel room, and these look so nice. I'm just afraid I wouldn't want to leave when my vacation came to an end.