travel Archives - Page 2 of 35

San Diego

July 19, 2021

This is our third year heading to the beach in San Diego with our family and extended family. We always stay in the same “blue house” just steps from the beach and the rest of our family all stay in houses nearby. It’s something we look forward to every year and honestly, the boys can’t stop talking about the “blue house” all year long! We’ve stayed in the same house three years in a row and have it booked again for next summer! In the past we went to San Diego in August, but because of William starting school in early August, we decided to move our trip to fall during the 4th of July. It was so much fun being in San Diego for the Fourth of July! We were able to see so much extended family at the family’s 99th annual Fourth of July picnic, we had a fun 4th of July BBQ with our family that was staying at the beach and we watched fireworks over the Mission Bay, and all across San Diego to the San Diego Bay. It was magical and such a great day!

While we were at the beach we pretty much did the same thing everyday. Wake up, walk for coffee, get ready and head to the beach, stay there until 4 and then head in for showers, appetizers and dinner! We always go back to the beach for sunset. Such great memories! In the past we’ve taken one day to take the boys to the San Diego Zoo (so awesome) but this year we took one day off from the beach and took the boys to Legoland, which was a huge hit! They rode their first roller coasters and had the best time. We all can’t wait until next year!

three little boys in swim trunks and goggles

woman sitting at an outdoor cafe with two little boys

two brothers in matching pajamas snuggling

two little boys in star shaped sunglasses

woman with two little boys sitting in beach chairs at the beach

little boy with white hat and sand castle at the beach

three little boys sitting on sea wall in matching outfits

three little boys standing in front of legoland

three women at the beach wearing swimsuits and sarongs

three little boys eating ice cream on the beach

little boy resting head on dads shoulder

two little boys playing in the sand at sunset

three little boys playing in the sand at the beach

little boy riding boogie board at the beach

two little boys eating ice cream on balcony

three women with toddler on beach boardwalk

woman with three little boys at toy train ride

mom with two little boys sitting in sand beach

two women with three little boys standing at the beach

three women with three little boys at the beach

Shop San Diego Outfits:

Cheers,

Stia, Jean and Katherine

Airplane Activities for Kids

June 22, 2021

Travel is something we love to do as a family! With three active boys, I’ve had to get creative to keep them busy on the plane. Walmart Online Pickup and Delivery is always the first place we start when preparing to take the boys on a trip. We can get everything we need delivered straight to our door and we know we’re always getting the lowest price. Using Walmart Online Pickup and Delivery saves us time and money, not to mention energy saved by not having to navigate (and negotiate!) the aisles with three little guys. Over the years and the flights we’ve taken, we’ve come up with some fun ideas. We’re hoping these will help any of you who are planning travel with little ones. Here is what I pack for the boys on the plane:

What I Pack for the Boys on the Plane

Personalized snack box: This is my #1 can’t forget item while traveling w/ the boys. A friend of mine gave me the idea a few years ago and it’s been the best. The boys get so excited to pull them out once we are in the air. I recently ordered new boxes for them for Summer travel and I love the size of these boxes. They are a little bit smaller than the other ones and I find them easier to fill and easier for the boys to handle! I fill them with all their favorite snacks and a few special treats they don’t normally get! Plus, these alphabet stickers are perfect for personalizing!

Trucks: The boys are SO into monster trucks right now. We’ve been finding some cool new ones we haven’t seen before at Walmart and I know they’ll be very excited about these fire truck monster trucks.
Sticker books: I don’t know what it is about stickers, but they keep the boys entertained for hours. This one has reusable stickers and different scenes to use.
Coloring book: This mess free one is Ford’s (and my) favorite.
Card game: The boys have loved playing this card game!

Shop The Post:

Cheers,

Stia, Jean and Katherine

Thank you to Walmart for partnering with us on this post!

The Ocean Club

May 25, 2021

The Ocean Club is one of our favorite places. It’s located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas and it truly is paradise! We had the opportunity to visit two years ago to celebrate Jean’s 60th birthday and ever since that trip we’ve been ready to go back! As soon as the Bahamas opened up to visitors, we made plans for our return to The Ocean Club. Since travel is starting to happen again (yay!), we wanted to share all the details about getting to the Bahamas and all about The Ocean Club!

Getting to the Bahamas

A big plus about traveling to The Ocean Club is the non-stop direct flight from DFW to Nassau. It’s about 3 hours and is very easy to do with kids! Currently, because of COVID, you must apply for a Health Travel Visa before flying to the Bahamas. This website has all the info you need, but we’ll break it down here too:

No more than five days prior to your flight, you must have a negative PCR test or be fully vaccinated for two weeks prior.
Once you receive the test results, you’re able to apply for a Health Travel Visa on this website
It takes 24/48 hours to be approved (we were approved the night before our flight).
Note: Children 10 & under to do not need a negative test to travel.
The Ocean Club provides on-site testing for travel back to the United States (this was so easy and stress-free)

We booked transportation from the airport through the hotel, including three car seats. We had enough room for nine of us, our luggage and golf clubs! It’s a short 30 minute drive from the airport in Nassau to The Ocean Club.

Staying at the Ocean Club

If you ever have the opportunity to go to The Ocean Club… go! It is magical and so elegantly charming. We can’t put into words how much we love this special place. With just 100 rooms, it’s so peaceful and never seems busy! Most everything is outside, including the restaurants which have the most amazing views of the ocean. Nearly all the guest rooms and suites also have ocean views and it’s a view of which we can never tire.

Rooms: There are two different wings, the Hartford Wing and the Crescent Wing. We’ve stayed in both areas and there are some differences. The Crescent Wing rooms are all ocean front, a bit more spacious and decorated in a more traditional island style. The rooms in the Hartford Wing have a more modern vibe and can be a better set-up for families (there is a pull out couch and room for a crib). There are ocean view and garden view rooms available in the Hartford wing. All rooms have either a private terrace or balcony, which we love for sitting outside after the kids are in bed and also for room service breakfast.
Beach: The beach is just a two minute walk from most rooms on property. It’s a beautiful white sand beach that stretches for miles in either direction, with crystal clear water that is so warm and inviting. The boys couldn’t stay out of the water! The hotel staff is there ready to set up lounges, towels, umbrellas and sand toys. The staff brings a bucket of ice cold bottled water and with food and beverage service available at the touch of a button, there isn’t any reason to leave. We spent most mornings here after breakfast!
Pools: The Ocean Club has three pools available, the Ocean Pool (everyone is welcome), Versailles Pool (adults only) and the Family Pool. Each pool has a lifeguard on duty and food and beverage service available. We spent almost all our pool time at the Ocean Pool, because it has the most spectacular view out over the infinity edge pool, right out to the ocean! After a morning at the beach, we come up for lunch and swimming at the Ocean Pool and generally we spend the rest of the afternoon here. The Versailles Pool is beautiful, secluded and quiet, while the Family Pool is shallow with beach-like access, a waterfall and loads of pool toys and fun activities.
Kids: One of the reason we love coming here is that the resort is very kid-friendly. The staff go out of their way to ensure that the kids have the best time. Kids 5 & under eat free, there is a kids club, playground and babysitting service available. The staff was always available to give the boys a ride in the golf cart from our room to Gigi’s room and then to breakfast. They loved it.
Restaurants/Bars: Dune is the main resort restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, and our favorite for breakfast and dinner. The views from Dune are breathtaking! A Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant, the food is superb. Ocean is the restaurant adjacent to the pool. We had lunch at the pool every day and it was the best. Great cocktails are also served at the pool and we tried some new ones. The kids menu covered all the bases for the boys, including ice cream sundaes for dessert. Room service is also an excellent option, serving most of the menu from Dune. We enjoyed room service one night for dinner and once for breakfast. The Martini Bar is a must-visit. It’s located in the main house and you may remember seeing it in Casino Royale. The bartender mixes the best selection of martinis you can imagine!
Spa: The treatment rooms at the Spa are individual Villas each with its own private garden and outdoor bathtub. It’s such a unique experience and so relaxing! The spa menu is extensive with facials, massages and hair and nail services available. We each enjoyed a facial and afterward we were so relaxed, we could hardly move!
Golf: If you play golf, The Ocean Club golf club is not to be missed. Our husbands and the boys played while we were there and couldn’t stop talking about it. Complimentary transportation is provided.
Tennis: The six clay courts are so inviting! We really wanted to get a tennis game in during our stay, but it just didn’t happen. Next time!

Our stay at The Ocean Club was everything we hoped for and more… we’re already talking about “next time”!