One of the highlights of our Upper Peninsula family road trip was our cruise with Pictured Rocks Cruises, which is the only approved vendor at the National Park Service's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We booked the 2.5-hour cruise that ventures all the way to Spray Falls one afternoon. Other options for cruises were the classic cruise and the sunset cruise. We paid four tickets were $92. ... Read more
Add Boating to Your Summer Plans
** This post is sponsored by Discover Boating but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. I have shared quite frequently that I love being on or near water. Turns out I am not alone in that: 142 million Americans go boating each year, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association. And summer is the best time to spend on a boat! There's just something so relaxing about ... Read more
7 Favorite Things to Do in Chicago
Every summer that I've lived in Chicago I create a summer bucket list of things I want to do during the season. This year I am simplifying the process by sticking to just my favorite things to do in the city instead of trying to do everything. Completing my check list will be a bit more challenging with two kids, but I'm up for the task! My favorite things to do in Chicago: Standup ... Read more
Our Stay at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort in Hawaii
We're typically low-key travelers who prefer affordable places to stay that are easy to get to and conveniently located near the activities we enjoy. However, the booking of our Hawaii trip was a bit last minute because we had to cancel our Puerto Rico plans. That meant that almost all the Big Island hotels in the Kailua-Kona area were near capacity and we had to book whatever was left. We decided ... Read more
Whale Watching Plus Snorkeling With Dolphins and Manta Rays in Hawaii
Somehow we tend to luck out when booking tours on vacation. We have at several times arrived to discover we are the only people with reservations, meaning we essential get a private outing! This is what happened with our whale watching tour through Kona Ocean Adventures. I was expecting a small group of six, including us, but we were pleasantly surprised! In addition to seeing lava, I really ... Read more
Niagara Falls: Day and Night Cruises
Hands down the most fun we had on our Canada trip was on the Hornblower cruises to Niagara Falls. Our 3-year-old hasn't stopped talking about it and I know she will not soon forget the memories we made. I purchased the day and night cruise package, which includes a 40-minute fireworks cruise that started at 9:30 p.m. and a 20-minute Voyage to the Falls day cruise. When I bought the tickets ... Read more
Summer Send-off: Lake Michigan Sunset Cruise
I'm not really sure why people are so eager to wish summer away. I'm in no hurry to get into cold temperatures. Labor Day may be the unofficial end of summer, but it very much still feels like summer in Chicago. Nonetheless, we said goodbye to the season with a sunset cruise on Lake Michigan after a day of exploring Garfield Park Conservatory. I bought our tickets to the cruise on the Anita Dee ... Read more
Boating Activities to Do in Chicago
** This post about boating is sponsored by Discover Boating. How is it already July? It feels like the summer is slipping out of my fingertips and I haven't made a significant dent in my bucket list, including boating. When I think about perfect ways to spend a summer weekend day in Chicago, being on Lake Michigan is at the top of the list. Here's my bucket list of boating activities I want to ... Read more
Chicago Summer Goal: Get on the Water
I have always felt a connection to the water and boating. My grandfather was a fishing boat captain in Mexico for many years. I remember visiting him on the boat during summer vacations and loving every minute of it. Now, boat is still accessible to me via Discover Boating's Get on the Water tool, which shows boat classes, charters and rentals in my area, as well as around the ... Read more
Getting Around Costa Rica Without Renting a Car
When I planned our Costa Rica trip, I had no idea how expensive car rental in the country would be. I was quoted $400 or more for the smallest cars available for my dates in January. Our costs would have been a lot more because we wanted a vehicle with four-wheel drive, just in case. By contrast, car rental on our last trip to Hawaii was about $200 and we were upgraded to a Cadillac SUV. On top of ... Read more