Although I’m a California girl now, I was born and raised in Alabama. When it was time for a spring break trip or summer beach vacation, my family did what many all over the Southeast did: load up the station wagon or minivan and drive south towards the Gulf Coast. The destination? Gulf Shores and […]
Universal Orlando Resort: 7 Things Every Disney Fan Needs to Know
You know every nook and cranny of the Magic Kingdom. Epcot is your home-away-from-home. But this trip… you are ready to cheat on Disney. As a die-hard Disney fan, going to another theme park may give you pause. But a day at Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, or Universal’s Volcano Bay is a […]
Travel in California: What’s Open Now, What’s Coming, & What’s Not
The country’s most populous state has reopened more slowly than most, but travel is finally making a comeback in California. Like many Californians stuck in my house for nearly three straight months, my family is ready to go somewhere. Safely, of course. But with each California county following its own timeline for reopening, it’s really […]
9 Things that Will be Totally Different at Walt Disney World for the Rest of 2020
Earlier this week, Walt Disney World announced its plans to re-open its Orlando theme parks this summer. The resort closed its gates in mid-March. Disney has now petitioned for state approval to open the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11, followed by Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15, 2020. As much […]
Complete Guide to Airline Change Policies During Coronavirus Travel Disruptions
The novel coronavirus that emerged at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China has now spread around the world. When I first published this post on March 2, 2012, most of us weren’t taking COVID-19 that seriously. When I updated it again less than two weeks later, America had radically shifted to shelter-in-place. Air travel […]
Tips for Traveling Safely & Responsibly as America Reopens
Parts of America are slowly starting to reopen. Many people are starting to incorporate travel of some sort back into their lives. While we all feel differently about the risks of this development and not all of us can personally take this risk, it is the reality. Some percentage of the country is traveling now. […]
What to Pack for a Day at the Lake With Kids (Free Printable!)
Some of my happiest childhood memories were spent on the lake. When the Alabama summer heat was too unbearable, everyone jumped in their cars (or more accurately, their pickup trucks) and headed just 45 minutes away to spend weekends and holidays at Lake Martin. My family owned a Sea-Doo and we would often retreat to […]
What Will Travel Look Like When it Opens Up Again?
After a full month where most of us have been staying at home, the wanderlust and restlessness is creeping in. We are all wondering what’s next and just how soon next will come. At the forefront of my mind is when we can travel safely again but most importantly, what will travel look like when […]
Guide to Canceling and Booking Future Travel in Uncertain Travel Times
In less than a month, travel all around the world has come to an almost complete halt. Borders are closed, planes are flying nearly empty, and previously busy airports are ghost towns. As strange and uncertain as things seem today, we all know that travel will return. What we don’t know, of course, is when. […]
How Ninja Disney Trip Planning Skills Can Help You Score Groceries Right Now
Walt Disney World is shuttered “until further notice.” Disneyland is closed indefinitely. But that doesn’t mean those of us with expertise acquired from decades of theme park hacking have an entirely useless skill set at the moment. I realized as I planned out this week’s grocery hunt that my Disney skills are very much alive […]
