Wordless Wednesday - 7/16/08

My sister just landed in Ireland this morning, so in honor of her DREAM vacation here's a picture of the beautiful Irish coast.

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Make it a Great day!

9-Day Vacation

Just last month we took a 9-day vacation to Orlando and I have had quite a few people ask me how we did it and where did we stay...

Here are a few pictures from the resort we stayed at;

This was our building, we stayed on the 5th floor, so this is from our front balcony.


Here is a picture from the master bedroom...check out that jacuzzi tub!



Here's a picture from the kids suite (not a kids suite as in Nickelodeon Studios, but where the kids stayed).


Here's the view from the porch outside the master suite...that space needle thing is actually Sea World in Orlando and every night there was an AMAZING fireworks show that was clear as day from our porch!

Out at the second pool they have this little walkway that goes out to this cute little gazebo...it makes for a great "thinking" spot.

Here's the main pool, the waterfall is my favorite part!

Here's the view from our chairs...as you can see the storms were blowing in and people were leaving the pool deck quickly.

This is always one of my favorite spots...right next to the waterfall, facing the tower clock, and close to the hot tub!

Loving the Vacation Life,

Travel Tips & Ideas #2

When going on vacation one of the ways that our family saves some serious money is by going straight to the local grocery store as soon as we unpack. It is the very first thing we do after we get settled into the resort.

We like to stay at the resorts (with a full kitchen) or a hotel that has a mini kitchen in it so we can stock up the refrigerator with family favorites (of course) but also with waters, drinks, and breakfast items.

We have a pre-made grocery list (I know, I know, we are weird that way) that we take with us so that we don't forget the things that we like to have on hand, specifically bottled water, which can cost you up to $2 each at the resort.

We also try to eat breakfast in the room, and more often than not we eat our lunch in the room as well. For four of us to eat breakfast out it will cost us anywhere from $15-20 for a drive through type place and even higher if we go out for a sit down breakfast. Lunch, as you know, tends to be a little more expensive and can run you anywhere from $20-30 for drive through, and up to $50 for a sit down lunch (for four).

The main thing is to get things at the grocery that can keep while you are there, that can be used for multiple meals/snacks, and that make you happy.

Our last vacation was 9-days at a resort in Orlando, we went to the grocery and picked up $150 worth of groceries (I have two teenage sons), but it lasted us all 9-days and we didn't have a lot left over. The bonus is that we ate breakfast (let's say $15/per day for 9 days would have cost us $135) and lunch (let's say $20/per day for 9 days would have cost us $180) at the resort every day and so even though we spent $150 for the groceries, we saved $165 on meals. Just by going to the grocery! Now that's what I call a money saving opportunity!

Happy Traveling,

PS - If you have any money saving traveling tips please email me at Mashburn Travel and I'll share them with everyone in another Travel Tips & Ideas post.

Wordless Wednesday - 7/9/08

Think Vacation, Think Bora-Bora, Think "RIGHT NOW would be nice!"

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Relaxing,

Wordless Wednesday - 7/2/08

Universal Studios Orlando newest attraction - The Simpons "Krustyland" - just opened this summer!

If you've ever been to this theme park you'll know that this was formerly the "Back to the Future" ride and is actually set up the same way and same type of ride on the inside...so if you get motion sickness, beware!

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5 Minutes for Mom!

Back from Vacation,

Travel Tips & Ideas #1

Travel Within Your State

With the economy like it is right now and gas prices on the rise one way you can save money this summer season is to TRAVEL WITHIN YOUR STATE.

Every state/location has some fascinating adventures within hours of you. Do a little research online to find interesting facts, tours, and activities for you and your family.

Each and every state has a web page that has a link for “tourist activities” or a “things to do” section. Click away and find new things to explore.

We like to get away from where we live, but most of the time we only travel between 2-5 hours to go to our destinations. This saves on gas, travel time, and also allows us to show the kids cool and exciting things in our beautiful state.

It is a great way to show your family that time away is important, and also allows you to be creative about what you are doing. Go to some parks, beaches, outdoor adventures, historical monuments, and other points of interest.

Getting away doesn’t always mean traveling long distances…sometimes the best get-aways are in your own neck of the woods.

Check back every week as we seek out some new Travel Tips and Ideas here in Mel’s World Travel Biz.

If you have any great travel tips or ideas that you would like to share with us drop a comment here or send me an email at mashburntravel@bellsouth.net and we see how you were creative with your travel adventures.

Enjoy the Journey,

If you are looking to book your Summer Travel click on Mashburn Travel to go directly to our booking engine...check it out and see if we can save you the most money this summer!