A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to visit Veracruz, Mexico. It’s not a popular beach destination like Cancun or Cabo San Lucas, but it’s a great place for a relaxing getaway. We stayed at the Fiesta Americana for 3 nights and we felt very spoiled. It was probably the nicest hotel we have ever stayed in (except for our trip to Las Brisas in Huatulco, Mexico).

The hotel is one of the few hotel that have a private beach. You are very close to the Gulf of Mexico. There were many shells but the sand was easy to walk on.

Our favorite part about the hotel was the pool – it was HUGE. This is just a small view of the pool. It is a giant circle and each area has  a different depth. It was perfect for our family because there was a very shallow area for our 2 year old to play while our boys could play in the deeper area. They also have several smaller pools that were shallow so our kids could easily walk around.

The rooms were so comfortable and clean. I loved that we had A/C and a ceiling fan. The room also had wi-fi, a mini bar, and a bath tub. The beds were so comfortable. They brought us a Pack n Play for my daughter and it had an extra foam mattress pad and a blanket under the sheet for extra padding.

The restaurant food was delicious. Our favorite part was the endless supply of freshly baked rolls. I think my kids only ate rolls for lunch one day!

Fiesta Americana Hotels are great hotels. You will not find a better option. Make sure if you are going to stay at this hotel you do not go without reservations. You will pay a lot more than if you book online. We paid a little more for 3 nights than the published rates for 1 night. I booked through Hotels.com and use a discount code.

If you have a trip to Veracruz – make sure you check out this hotel! Fiesta Americana’s are located in Aguascalientes, Cancun, Cozumel, Mexico City, Guadalajara,  Cuernavaca, Hermosillo, Merida, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, and Queretaro.

If there isn’t a Fiesta Americana, you will be just as comfortable at a Fiesta Inn.

(I was not compensated for my review of this hotel. I just loved it so much and I want others to know how nice it is! ) 

Last summer we had to go to South Dakota for meeting with my husband’s company. Of all the places in the world, Rapid City, South Dakota wasn’t my first choice. But we were going to be spending a week with friends having meetings and having fun.

I was very excited to find out that our hotel,  the Best Western Ramkota, had a water park inside and a very large swimming pool. Our kids had a really great time and didn’t want to leave our hotel.

It is one of the largest indoor waterparks in the Black Hills. Plus they are the only Rapid City hotel to include six waterpark passes per guest room. They have a 165 foot waterslides and a very cool  pirate ship with water cannons!

The location of the hotel is just minutes from Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, Reptile Gardens, Rushmore Mall, and Bear Country U.S.A. We did get to spend some time at Mount Rushmore and Custer State park. It’s really a beautiful area of the Untied States.

The rooms are very clean and spacious. I usually can’t sleep at hotels but the beds were so comfortable, I fell right to sleep. The bedding and pillows were so plush. My kids had plenty of room to play. We also had free wi-fi in our room.

The hotel restaurant had really great food. We ate a few meals in the hotel restaurant and we were very happy with all our meals!

If you are looking for a good hotel while visiting The Black Hills, make sure you check out the Ramkota Best Western. You will not be disappointed!

Have you ever been to Kennedy Space Center? I went there when I was a kid and I also went there on my honeymoon. It’s such an interesting place. I love all the history you can see at Kennedy Space Center.

Kennedy Space Center is a place for young and old. I remember when we went there I was so fascinated with the space food. The gift shop is as fun as the museum!

They have a new section that includes Angry Birds. It’s a huge interactive exhibit. If you are planning to visit Kennedy Space Center, make sure you visit my friend at Love2EncourageYou. She and her family spend the day there and she has some awesome information to share!

Have you been to Kennedy Space Center? What was your favorite part?

Many people take summer vacations. They are a great time to make memories with your family. Whether you will be traveling by planes, trains, or automobile. I have some tips that may make your trip a little easier. I have traveled a lot with little kids and I know it can be stressful. Sometimes it’s easier to not go on vacation when you have kids. But it’s important to spend time making memories with your kids. They grow up too fast!

Here’s some articles that may help with your vacation.

• Saving Money On Your Next Flight
• 10 Tips For Keeping Your Family Safe On The Road
• Traveling With Kids
• Ten Reasons Why You Would Want To Visit Virginia Beach
• Visiting Mexico on a Budget
• How To Travel Cheap – Cruises!!
• How To Travel Cheap – Cheap Car Rentals
• How To Travel Cheap – Hotels
• How to Travel Cheap – Cheap Airfare
• How I Saved On A Rental Car
• My Kissimmee Vacations post for i.seeKissimmee.com

There are also a lot of resources available that can help you save money on your next trip.

• Sign up for daily deal sites for the city you will be visiting. You may be able to find discount meal and attraction vouchers. You may even find a great deal on a hotel (Amazon Local, Living Social, Groupon, Deal Chicken, etc.)
• Sign up for Disney Magical Ways. You will receive occasional updates, special offers, and other information from the Walt Disney family of companies and their products and services.
• Free Travel Guides and Brochures – Browse destinations, pick travel guides that you’d like, receive guides Free by mail or download.
• Dunhill Travel Deals- Travel More. Spend Less! Save up to 70% on Vacations, Cruises, Airfare & more!

How do you save money on your family vacation?

I think cruise vacations are the best! You get all the food you want to eat. Then when you wake up in the morning – you are in a new country! Sign up for the Norwegian Cruise Line Newsletter and you will know about great sales and discounts. Last month they had an offer where kids sailed FREE! It’s really a very affordable vacation!

Click here to sign up!

Last month we were lucky enough to spend our family vacation in Orlando, Florida. There are so many wonderful things to do there. One of our favorite places to visit in Orlando, of course, is Walt Disney World. Especially now that they have opened the new Fantasy Land there are so many more things to enjoy! Fantasy Land is broken down into 2 areas: Enchanted Forest and Storybook Circus.

I can’t wait to visit the Enchanted Forest. I love The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. We love Ariel and Belle. They are the main characters featured in the Enchanted Forest. There are waterfalls and royal castles. You can even eat at Beast’s Castle. I could just imagine how beautiful it is.

The Storybook Circus area is a classic American circus. There are big-top tents, astonishing stunts, majestic animals and spectacular entertainment for the whole family. They have several new rides that everyone in your family will love. They even have a new railroad station in the Storybook Circus area.

They plan on expanding Fantasy Land. One of the planned attractions is a Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – this magical ride is inspired by the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

If you are a Florida resident, you can get a great discount on your Disney vacation. During the year they have great deals on tickets. Right now you can get a 3 day pass for $119. Or get a 4 day pass for $129! That’s an amazing price for 4 days at Disney Parks. Your ticket is good for Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. Or if you plan on visiting the parks more often, you should check out the annual passes. They have an annual pass option that is good Monday – Fridays. It’s not valid on the weekends and has some black-out dates over the summer, but it’s just $211 and they have a interest free payment plan.

Florida residents also get great rates on Disney resorts. They usually have discounts up to 35% off or more. It is very convenient  to stay at a Disney Resort. It’s so nice to take the shuttle to all the parks. You can even take the shuttle to Downtown Disney. You also save money because you don’t have to pay for parking at the parks. The Disney resorts are like an attraction in themselves.

Our kids are just getting to the ages where they love to visit the theme parks. Last month was the second time they visited and they are always asking when we can go back. Our youngest loves princesses. Her favorite princess right now is Cinderella. Next time we go to Disney I hope she get the chance to meet her.

Even if you aren’t a Florida resident – a Walt Disney World vacation is still a great vacation. There are so many great deals available in Orlando. You can get flights to Orlando from anywhere in the world! Just make sure your dates are flexible so you can get the best deal. Planning a Disney vacation is half the fun!