A Sandestin, Florida Getaway With The Family At Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort

This summer was very mild here in Georgia, so I knew that meant much colder weather in the fall and winter. Sure enough, November arrived and so did the cold weather, wind and rain. It just so happened that Josiah's fall break for Thanksgiving provided the perfect time for us to go on a trip as a family! During the summer we always go to the beach, but the area is always crowded, you have to wait in lines everywhere you go and sometimes the weather is just too hot. The fall proved to be a wonderful time for a vacation because there were less people and we could sit back, relax and recharge for the rest of the year.

Unfortunately, Papa ended up having to work, so the boys and I jumped in the car and headed for Sandestin, leaving the 40 degree weather in the dust. As soon as we arrived at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, I had to get out short sleeves for the boys because it was over 70 degrees, sunny and absolutely beautiful. The boys couldn't wait to hit the beach, so that is exactly what we did after checking in and bringing up our luggage to the condo.

Fall Fun In Pigeon Forge, Tennessee With The Family Part One #PFTitanicFAM

I wrote a post a little over a week ago about our upcoming weekend getaway to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We love the area and, in fact, that is where my husband and I got married almost 7 years ago this December! We were excited to take the boys and knew they would have a great time. We arrived at our hotel, the Music Road Hotel, a little late due to Friday traffic, but as soon as we went inside, the kids were very impressed not only that they had a pool, but an entire outdoor water park that was still open since the weather is was warm. We checked into our room and happily got some rest for the next days of fun.

The Music Road Hotel

That morning I went down to the breakfast buffet and they actually had a tray so I could carry food back up to our room for everyone. That was so nice and made it easy to get everyone ready to go. Before leaving, we went for a walk on the back porch of the hotel and noticed it sat beautifully on the river and had the most amazing view, so we had to take some pictures of the boys. Here's a picture of them ready for our fun day to begin:

Our first stop of the day was at the Titanic Attraction, something Josiah has been learning about and something in which he is very interested.

About the Titanic Attraction
Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge is a celebration of the ship, passengers and crew!  It is said that the best way to respect and honor those who gave their lives is to simply tell their stories.    
We stepped inside the boat as a passenger and received our tickets upon entry. We were given a device so we could listen to educational information as we moved through the ship. The great thing about this was the ability for kids to participate, too. When kids saw certain numbers, they punched in the code and could learn about the children of the titanic or other interesting details like how many pets were on board the Titanic!

Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos inside the attraction because it was absolutely wonderful and something I recommend for all families visiting Pigeon Forge. We all learned so much about the ship, its trip and the passengers. We also had a chance to walk through different parts of the ship and experience life as a 1st class, 2nd class and 3rd class passenger. There were special items created for all the different classes, of course the 1st class being the most elaborate and beautiful. 

My initial worry was whether or not the kids would stay interested, but as we went through each part of the ship, their eyes got wider and they were asking more questions. Liam did not even want to leave. Josiah especially liked getting to touch an iceberg and feel how cold the 28 degree water was the night the Titanic sunk. I loved the beautiful Grand Staircase, created to look just like the one on the Titanic, which is featured in the photo below. We were able to walk up and down as part of the tour. After going through the ship, you really get a feel for what it was like onboard the luxury liner and how tragic the accident was. 

After our tour of the Titanic, we decided to head back to the hotel and relax for a few hours. We ordered pizza from a local pizzeria and had to delivered straight to our room, which was so delicious and relaxing. Around 4pm, we headed to our next stop, the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show! 

About the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show
I was really excited about this part of our trip because I knew this would be a hilarious show for the kids. The feuding Hatfield and McCoy families are at it again and we are right in the middle of the fight while they try to settle their differences in a way that only mountain folk can do. 

We were seated on the Hatfield side of the room and became part of the family. Our "cousin" served us food as soon as we sat down. First we got our sweet tea, a southern staple for all families and something Liam loves. For dinner the food was never-ending! Then, he brought a creamy vegetable soup that everyone loved. The great thing was that we could purchase it in the gift shop after the show and that's exactly what we did. We received a bucket of delicious fried chicken, country pulled pork shoulder, which was Josiah's favorite, mashed taters, cole slaw, bread and corn on the cob. 

Soon after getting our food, the entertainment began! A great group came out and played country music and the award-winning yodeler showed us just how good she was. Afterwards, the Hatfield and McCoy families came out and began the hilarious show.

We had a great time watching the show and even had dessert during it! Afterwards, we took a stroll around the gift shop and outdoors. There were many props set up outside and the kids had to check them all out.

Those hilarious boys had a great time and even wanted to go back the next day. However, the fun was not over yet. We still had more attractions to see, which will be featured in our next post!

Have you ever been to Pigeon Forge? Now's a great time for a family trip and with fall school vacation time coming up, you can get some great deals at The Music Road Hotel. Our next post is coming up soon!

Disclosure: This post was written in conjunction with the U.S. Family Guide. A trip was provide in exchange for a review of Pigeon Forge. No other compensation was provided and all opinions written are my own. 

Making The Most Out of Our Weekend Vacation At Embassy Suites In Buckhead Atlanta

A few weekends ago we packed up the car and headed to Atlanta for the weekend. We often take mini weekend vacations with the kids and we thought this was the perfect time for a trip! We've wanted to visit the new LegoLand Discovery Center at Phipps Plaza since it opened and took this opportunity to get on the road! Our first stop was the Embassy Suites Buckhead Atlanta location, our hotel for the night, to check in and get settled. For those of you who are not familiar with the Atlanta area, Buckhead is one of the nicest parts of the city, with many shops, malls, activities and delicious restaurants! Staying in Buckhead means we are right in the middle of all the fun, so we were excited for the trip.

The beautiful view from our room!

We followed our GPS straight to the Embassy Suites Buckhead location and pulled in to automatically be greeted by the valet who offered to park our car and take up our luggage. We usually just opt for self-parking, but the valet parking was only a few dollars more, so we went for it and what a nice change that was- not having to haul all of our bags up stairs, elevators and across the world. As we walked into the hotel, Josiah let out a gasp because it truly was breathtaking! The glass ceiling let a glow of natural light into the atrium and there was a pond all the way through the area filled with Koi fish. This entertained the boys, including my husband, while I checked us in.

The kids loved looking at the fish!

If I remember correctly, we were on the 23rd floor and what a view we had from the elevator! The boys loved going up and down. I'm pretty sure they could have done this all night if I let them.

Coming into our room, we were immediately surprised at just how big the room was, or should I say rooms? There was a living area separate from the bedroom, both very spacious and inviting. The boys immediately went off to explore. The view of Buckhead was great, as we could see the skyline of Atlanta as well as the nearby attractions! Both rooms had 32 inch flat-screen TVs and I love that the living area had a desk where I could work as well as a pull-out couch for extra people! They even asked if they could provide a crib for Liam, which was so nice and thoughtful.

At check-in, we were told about the nightly manager's reception, which featured a variety of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic as well as delicious snacks! Josiah and I decided to head down to the atrium for some beverages during the reception! We got there a little late, so all the snacks were gone, but there were two bartenders there to make any drinks we'd like! I decided on a Peach Bellini, got a glass of Merlot for Cory and Josiah was excited to get a Shirley Temple with cherries on top.

The manager's reception was hopping with guests!

One of the first things I realized was that not only is a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse attached to the Embassy Suites, but they offered room service! We had never eaten there before, but had heard it was delicious, so we took this opportunity to enjoy a great meal in the comfort of our own room. Dinner arrived about 30 minutes after ordering and it looked amazing!

Doesn't this make your mouth water?

My husband opted for steak with their famous Potatoes Au Gratin and the kids shared a cheeseburger meal off the kid's menu. I wasn't as hungry, so I got a salad and the French Onion Soup. Paired with our free drinks from the reception and some iced tea, we were ready to eat!

We were stuffed by the end and needed something to do to work it off. What to do? There was no need to even leave the hotel, honestly, because they had two pools, one indoor and one outdoor. Since it was so nice outside, we went outdoors. I usually just stick my feet in the edge or sit on the stairs with Liam because the water is chilly, but the water was actually heated and warm.

This was definitely the kids' favorite part of the stay at Embassy Suites. They had a blast and we stayed outdoors until the boys were obviously sleepy and ready to go back to the room!

The view from our room at sunset!

I gave the boys a nice bath and we got into bed to watch TV. About this time I realized we didn't bring any milk for Liam, so my husband ran down to the gift shop and purchase some milk and was back in no time! We laid in bed watching cartoons until the boys couldn't keep their eyes open any longer. My husband, on the other hand, stayed in the living room watching sports until the wee hours of the morning, enjoying the peace and quiet!

We had such a great time and the bed was so comfortable. Once I fell asleep, I was completely out until late the next day. I unfortunately missed the made to order breakfast and was so sad, but my husband, the early bird, was up at the crack of dawn and made it a point to get his delicious breakfast. He raved about it, saying how amazing his omelet was. He travels for business quite often and usually complains that breakfast at the hotel is not very appetizing, but not this time. He was very pleased. Since he got there so early, there was no line either and he really enjoyed sitting in the lobby reading a paper and people-watching.

As someone who worked in customer service for many, many years, it is very important to me that staff is caring and helpful. The staff was unbelievably helpful every time we needed something, from the moment we checked in to the time we checked out. We even forgot our deodorant and they had complementary deodorant for us, which saved us from having to purchase at the gift shop. Plus, when I travel, it is usually with kids, so it's nice to finally have a very kid-friendly hotel in mind for us to visit the next time. When we checked out, my husband turned in our valet ticket and our car was brought up to the front door for us. Once it was there, they even helped us load our luggage!

Going to the gift shop with Papa!

I am honestly not used to so many great amenities and features in our hotels. Even the 4-star hotels in the area we've stayed in have not been as nice as this Embassy Suites, so I was extremely impressed with the entire visit. We planned on going out that evening for dinner and for some sort of activity for the kids, but with a restaurant on-site, we were able to stay in to eat and since they had two pools, we had more than enough to do without even leaving the building!

Building a castle for Liam at LegoLand Discovery Center!

We actually planned on visiting LegoLand after checking into the hotel, but since we were so happy we ended up extending the trip and going to LegoLand the next afternoon! Believe me, I took about 200 pictures during the trip and the boys have really enjoyed looking at them over and over again!We had such a great time, I honestly cannot wait for our next visit. The boys are already asking when they can go back to the hotel with the fish! I have a feeling we'll be visiting again before the end of the summer. This was a perfect weekend trip for our family!

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Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in an Ambassador Program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Embassy Suites Hotels and received a one-night complimentary stay at an Embassy Suites Hotel to facilitate my reviews and a promotional item to thank me the taking the time to participate.