L and I snuck up to one of our favorite places earlier this month to enjoy New England's gorgeous fall foliage and festivities. It probably comes as no surprise that that place was the infamous Okemo. Okemo is like a second home for my entire family which always makes every trip up there extra special. The last time we were there was in February for a fun ski week with family!

We swung by Market Basket and picked up every fall themed food that we laid our eyes on! Pumpkin spice life, pumpkin bars, cider, caramel donuts, apple pie... you name it!

Early Saturday morning we bought tickets to take the sunburst six up to the summit house to get a little fall foliage tour from above. I was hoping that the summit house would be open so that we could indulge in some hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie, but I suppose that will have to wait until our next trip up when there is some snow!

We explored a little more and hiked up to the fire tower for some one of a kind views of gorgeous Vermont!

There is something eerie about a snowless ski mountain.

After our lift ride up and down the mountain, we found ourselves at Jackson Gore for their fall into winter festival. They had a band, ski gear sales, beer, and their outdoor adventure courses and the timber ripper was open!

Nothing tops of a trip to Okemo without a visit to the waffle cabin for a sweet and delicious chocolate covered waffle on a chilly fall day! Looking forward to our next trip up when there is some snow!!

Camping 2016 - Acadia National Park

A couple months ago I began aching for a camping trip to try out some of our new gear, roast up some s'mores, feast on some pudgie pies and spend some time with family. We hadn't been camping in a loooong time, and living in the middle of the city with no vehicle or space to store gear didn't make it any easier. When my parents made plans to go camping as a family in Acadia National Park over Labor Day weekend, I nearly jumped out of my skin in excitement! Everyday I would tell L how excited I was to not only go camping, but also spend some time on breathtaking Mount Desert Island! We spent a good chunk of time there two years ago for my grandparents 50th anniversary and it was nothing short of a great time! I don't have as many pictures as last time, however I did compile a handful of short clips from our trip into a fun little vlog which I have put at the bottom of this post!

First and foremost... the car. L and I forgot how convenient it is to have a vehicle to throw all of our gear in and travel. After packing all of our "stuff" into totes and traveling via trains and ubers for so long, this is truly a treat. We are still adding to our camping collection, however I can say that these clear weathertight containers from the container store are a favorite! We don't go anywhere these days without one of these in the trunk... just in case we come across an adventure of some nature, you never know! 

We ended up staying in a cute campground right outside of Acadia and right on the shore of Somes Sound, Somes Sound View Campground. 

We glamped in two side by side cabins (Starfish and Barnacle) at Somes Sound View Campground which could sleep four people each, perfect for our party of eight! We finagled our parking spaces and moved our tables in-between the two cabins so that we could spend even MORE time together. The place was booked for the weekend (as expected) and offered great creature features! A quarry that you could take a little boat on, a heated pool, docks, etc.!

We played one of our favorite group games, telestrations, a mix of pictionary and telephone... just imagine the fun! I am proud to say that we successfully mastered a lighting setup by tying a rope from a tree to our car and hanging two Luci lights above our game playing table! #greatsuccess

We did get our butts up wicked early to witness the infamous sunrise from Cadillac Mountain. There's nothing quite like being one of the first (along with the other 400 people on Cadillac) in the country to watch the sunrise. Parking was insane, as anticipated, so as a helpful hint to you if you ever go, do not park on the side of the road. Don't do it... you will never be able to turn your vehicle around... find a spot in one of the two lots.  

We unfortunately didn't have enough time to hike the very steep Precipice trail, however we did play on another crowd favorite, Beehive trail... another fun but steep trail with rungs and ladders. 

The gang!

One of my favorite parts of camping is the campfire food. We got serious about our pudgie pies and s'mores this year. One of my favorites being a cinnamon graham cracker, marshmallow, chocolate and nutella pudgie pie.

We can't go to MDI without paying a visit to our favorite soup kitchen, Common Good. Located in Southwest Harbor (they recently moved in town), Common Good is where you can get the most delicious popover and oatmeal breakfast on Mount Desert Island for whatever price feels right. Hopefully when you visit you are feeling generous, as that helps provide for people who may not be able to afford as much. They have a plethora of different jams and butters, as well as hot beverages, milk and juice. It is the perfect buffet of food for such a GREAT cause!

 We had such a wonderful time in Acadia and an even better time with the family. Looking forward to next year!

10 Ways to Cut Travel Expenses

With the traveling season upon us, I wanted to share a handful of great hacks that help us to save a couple dollars when on the road (or in the air). Traveling expenses can add up quickly, so I hope these tips lend a hand when booking your next trip! For those of you who want to manage your money all year round, Personal Capital's financial tools are a great way to help with that! L and I travel consistently throughout the year, many of our trips being trips out to Ohio to visit his family, and others being to Myrtle Beach, skiing in Vermont, and other short trips around New England. Throughout the past couple of years, I think that it is safe to say that we have slowly figured out what works and doesn't work for us. 

TRAVEL REWARDS CARD

• A travel rewards credit card is a great way to put your everyday charges towards points that can be used for flight miles and accommodations. Each card offers a unique collection of benefits, however it is rare to find one card that suits everyone. Every traveler is looking for a different travel experience making it simple to narrow down the rewards card that works best for you!

FLIGHT FLEXIBILITY

• We have had the most luck booking our flights midweek, usually on Wednesdays. While it is rare that airlines get cheaper the closer you are to your departure date, air flights do drop drastically some days so it is possible, and if you like to gamble you might luck out! For us, it is most beneficial and cost saving to book our flights as far out in advance as possible, and to also fly midweek. 

DON'T PAY TO CHECK A BAG

• Checking a bag can easily add an additional $25 to $50 onto any trip! Not many airlines allow one free checked bag anymore, so be aware of that charge! If you're able to, stick to your travel sized toiletries and pack everything into a carry on! This will also save you time when checking in, AND you won't have to wait for baggage claim. I also live in fear of my checked luggage getting lost, so that's another thing I don't have to worry about!

TRAVEL DURING THE OFF SEASON

• We LOVE to travel during the off season! Prices are bound to be lower, destinations are much less crowded, and you have a better opportunity to meet and get to know the locals. Feeling rushed, crowded and robbed blind are never good feelings... so travel during the off season!

STAY AT SMALLER, PRIVATELY OWNED HOTELS

• I do like staying at chains because I know what to expect, however they are always top dollar. Venture outside of your comfort zone and check out small, privately owned hotels, boutiques and bed and breakfast's. Not only will they more than likely be a little bit easier on your wallet, they usually provide a more interactive and personable experience for their guests. 

NEGOTIATE YOUR ROOM RATE WHEN YOU ARRIVE

• Yes. This works. Go in knowing that you are the paying customer and there are other options. I'm not saying to ask for an unreasonable amount off, but do ask what the best price available is, and compare what they are offering to what a third party may offer (Trivago, Travelocity, etc.). They will more than likely adjust the price a little bit which is certainly better than nothing!

DON'T FORGET ABOUT MEMBER DISCOUNTS

• When you go to check into a hotel or buy a travel ticket, always ask if they offer any member discounts (AAA, AARP, etc.). We always forget about this one, but it can almost always save you a dollar or two. Just the other night, L and I got a significant amount off of our stay because I am a member of AAA. Score!

VISIT HIDDEN GEMS

• Avoid visiting the popular and very expensive destinations that tend to attract tourists. Try to find the less saturated spots that may be located a little bit farther outside of the city. These places sometimes end up being the best part of the trip!

SIGHTSEEING - IT CAN BE FREE

• Every destination usually offers a free cities index which can provide you with an inexpensive day of adventure at local parks, beaches and informative tours. Take a day to explore the areas that you may have looked over in your vacation planning and indulge in some freebies!

PACK A LUNCH

• Airports, resorts and other vacation hot spots often hike up their food costs to bleed you dry. A simple lunch out could end up being two or three times the price to catch the unprepared tourist who has limited options. Go to a grocery store at the beginning of your trip and buy sandwich supplies to pack yourself and family some brown bags.

Feeling like we're 16 and in high school again -- exploring beautiful NH together in L's car from high school! Nostalgic!

P.S. Check out my travel lust list here!

Myrtle Beach - Year 4

L's family makes a trip down to beautiful South Carolina every year, where we get our yearly dose of Myrtle Beach fun in the sun. This year was no exception, as we once again stayed oceanside at the Sandy Beach Resort and spoiled ourselves silly. While we are always looking for fun little city get aways, this is usually one of our bigger trips that we look forward to all year round. There is something about palm trees and sinking your feet in the sand with a Carolina Quench in your hand.
We arrived in Charleston a few days earlier and invested some time in learning about the area (potential new home? maybe?). In addition, we also spent a few days with my grandparents playing on and exploring the plantation that they recently moved to. We ended up kayaking all over the lake and achieved our ultimate goal of spotting a baby alligator hanging by the brushes. L and I made the mistake of exposing our city skin to those Carolina rays leaving us with many kisses from the sun. I haven't burnt myself like that since I was a lifeguard, and am paying for it now... peeling like a snake! 

Dress

We headed up to Myrtle Beach after a few days where we spent every single day toasting in the sun and getting our salty water fix in. Needless to say, after L's sister took a pretty nasty sting from a jellyfish, we opted to spend the rest of the time in the pools. L and I were in need of some beach towels, so I went ahead and picked up two of these Land's End Rugby Towels before our trip, which are still on sale for $20 if you're in the market. They're over six feet long, and extremely comfortable to lay on. 

We had a few sand castle competitions and without a doubt, the girls castle lasted the longest against the incoming tide. Our method: build up! Eventually, it did come crashing down. Not without a fight though! 
Side note: If you're looking for a bathing suit top that stays on in the ocean, I am sold on Lululemon's salty swim top. It's equivalent to a sports bra, is reversible and drys extremely quickly. That is because there is no support. Definitely not something I would wear in the cold New England ocean, however in the sunny and warm South. I was all set, no issues here! The bottoms however did not work at all for me. I like something with a little more coverage, and unfortunately the options that they offered just didn't do it. 

We all had a little fun at both of the outlets, and I ended up coming home with a new wristlet, wallet, dress, sports bra and shirt, not to mention it was tax free weekend so I can kind of justify it. I ran out of clothes, and by the end of the week I started wearing my purchases!
We ate out every night and had some pretty delicious feasts, if I do say so myself. A few of these places included, Hominy Grille (Charleston), Duffy's Tavern (Boardwalk), Pier 2, Goodfellas (NMB), Abuelo's, Outback, The Liberty (Broadway at the Beach), Sticky Fingers, and we can't forget the dozens of donuts from Krispy Kreme that we inhaled for breakfast! Just typing those places out make me want to eat lunch again, so delicious! 
I really wish I would've snapped some more photos from our trip, but I was all concerned about taking video clips that it slipped my mind. Be sure to check out the video below that I put together that encapsulates all of the fun and memories from our week!

We're already dreaming about next years trip!

 Myrtle Beach 2013

A Great Time in the Hub, and some Maine Love

Ohio --> Boston -->  Kennebunk --> Boston --> Ohio

That would be the order of destinations over the past few days! Boy oh boy what a great trip it was!!

We left last Thursday night, (a 12.5 hour trip) and arrived at our hotel around 12pm. We stayed at the Revere Hotel, which is located on Stuart street, a stones throw away from the heart of the city. When we arrived, the hotel did not have our room ready, so we dilly dallied around the city, walked through the Commons, Beacon Hill, and grabbed a bite to eat! After checking back with the hotel the third time (yes, we really were that annoying --we were so tired.... all we wanted were naps and showers), they finally had our room ready! When we went up to our room, it was a clean room, but it had someone else's belongings everywhere. Backpacks, suitcases, iPads, iPods, everything! Apparently, the computer system messed up, so finally they put us in an unused room and we zonked out and slept for 3 years.

We spent a good amount of our time eating and walking. When we weren't doing that, we visited neat places like The Old North Church, the Harbor Walk, the Wharfs, Harvard, North End, Beacon Hill, Quincy Market, the Commons, etc... there was so much to do! Not to mention, the city is the most beautiful city in the country, historically rich and amazing! (: 

(Look how far the squirrel is stretching his little leg just to get a nut)

(Part of the Harbor Walk located by the Wharfs in North End)

Everyone in Boston (for the most part), was so nice!! If we were lost, or had a question, they would stop what they were doing, whip out their smart phones and google it right up for us, and then point us in the right direction! 

On Monday, we traveled from Boston to Kennebunk, and made some pit stops along the way. Besides the many restroom breaks, we stopped at the liquor/lottery store in NH on 95, where we tried our luck with some lotto tickets. I think altogether we won $40 (that's exciting, because we NEVER win stuff)! We then traveled on and took Route 1A right up the beautiful East Coast (Maine mostly) on the very twisty roads. We stopped at Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine and visited the neat shops, and then climbed the rocks on the coast. They also had a neat bike/walking trail that ran along the coast, but we preferred risking it and climbed those beautiful rocks! I highly recommend visiting, the view was beautiful!

I don't think it gets more beautiful than this!

From Perkins Cove, we traveled to Kennebunkport, and visited the Bush's summer home at Walker's Point. What an amazing location to have a compound (...if only I was a president), surrounded by water and beautiful houses and views. The road was pretty quiet, but I'm SURE it gets quite busy when the summer season hits! Also, I've never seen so many black SUV's before in my life... this is the real deal. (: 

This was about the closest that we could get. They probably have netting and stuff surrounding the compound in the water. It just seems to easy to get there, and is SO close to the road.

(Met up with Daddio - he biked there because he is practically Neil Armstrong, not to mention he just about beat me there and I was driving)

Back in Kennebunport, we visited a super neat shop that had the neatest things that are all created by American artisans. I fell in LOVE with this piece!

We then dined at a neat restaurant that overlooked the water. 

The next day we headed back to Boston, took care of some things (or didn't), and then we began the 12.5 hour trek back to Ohio! 

What an amazing and very productive trip to New England! I will certainly be going back soon!! (: