Rather than just welcoming us with a smile, the breakfast staff at Hard Rock Vallarta 
greeted us with a warm smile first, then conversation, a hug, a balloon for Athena, and continued kind gestures throughout the meal. I think it’s safe to say that they are officially the friendliest hotel staff I’ve met. kudos to you at Hard Rock Vallarta; you know how to treat your customers/family right. Continue reading
It’s as if Hard Rock Vallarta asked me what are five of your favorite things at an all-inclusive resort and then added them to the property. Every day I discovered something else that I love and look for in my favorite hotels. From boogie boarding, a huge pool with a swim up bar, and a water slide to an ocean view room and 24-hour room service, Hard Rock Vallarta hit the nail on the head with its services and amenities. Continue reading
Darren didn’t go down the slide quite as quickly as I did, but speed it up and add the Benny Hill Theme Song and you have something worth viewing. It’s a good laugh if nothing else. We’re obviously having the time of our lives at Hard Rock Vallarta.
Who do you think rocked it better?
82 °F and a slight breeze… the perfect temperature for making sandcastles. Today, 
Athena and I had one goal – to kick off our shoes and get down to making sandcastles. (Well, that was my goal. Athena’s goal was to sneak in a bite of a seashell any time I wasn’t looking but it fit nicely with my sandcastle goal so she went along.) This week is all about soaking up Athena time and she loves the sand so that’s where we spent our day.
My ten days in Jordan were life-changing. I journeyed to five of my bucket list locations 
including Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, the Red Sea, and Jerash. I hiked, swam, walked, and climbed my way through the country. I rode 4x4s, buses, cars, planes, donkeys, and camels; and I am exhausted. After ten days of being a hyperactive tourist, I want some beach time. This week we are relaxing at Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina in Fort Myers, Florida. My plan is to spend as much time as humanly possible in the pool and on the beach. Forget constant exercise and adventure; I’m ready to relax. Continue reading
I needed to put my feet in the sand and hear the sound of the ocean waves; it was a 
long-over-due necessity. So we planned a weekend at Island Vista Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. When we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised with the amenities available in the suite, including one king bed, 1 sofa sleeper, 2 full baths, full kitchen, dining room, washer and dryer, in room safe, and an oceanfront balcony that offered access to both the living room and the bedroom. It provided everything a guest needed to stay for a night, a weekend, a week, or even a month. Continue reading
It’s 9:13 pm and I’m exhausted. I feel like it’s 4 o’clock in the morning. Why? because I 
spent the day basking in the warm, bright sun, building sand castles, and running along the beach chasing birds. We’re spending the weekend at Island Vista Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC and it’s a remarkable place to enjoy with your family. Continue reading
Darren and I decided a beach weekend was long over-due so we’re heading to Island Vista Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina tomorrow. I received a welcomed email from the resort and I realized that it represented customer service at its finest.
When I added Grove Park Inn to my 2013 bucket list, I had no idea the extent of relaxation 
and resort luxury I was going to experience or how much I truly needed it. Just a two hour drive from our home in Charlotte brought us to another world; a world filled with spacious accommodations, superb dining, unbelievable views, and endless amenities. We marveled at the spectacular view during our breakfast experience, escaped to a world-class spa, and stepped into a world of glamour inspired by the great American author F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Gatsby theme room. Grove Park Inn was the relaxing weekend away from it all that we desperately needed. Rather than posting, texting, Tweeting, and sharing on Facebook, I turned off my phone, put away the computer, and forgot the camera… most of the time. It was a weekend for us as a family – the perfect relaxing, mountain getaway. Sometimes even extreme adventure seekers need a rest. Continue reading
Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina was the first LEED Platinum Hotel in USA. LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, and high performing buildings. This weekend we were able to experience what it means to be in the LEED. Continue reading
