Tybee Island Sunrise To Sunset

March 20, 2019

So often we hear about going off the grid for a bit to re-discover what life is really all about. With the hustle and bustle of my daily life between juggling google classrooms and social media with Digital Chicks, going off the grid has not been on my mind. But a few weeks ago, that changed.

Even though I have lived in Georgia for eight years now, I had yet to visit Tybee Island – a short three hours away from my home. Boy, have I been missing out! We went recently on a family vacation/reunion and stayed at the home of author Mary Kay Andrews.

I should have known that the author of The High Tide Club, Sunset Beach, and The Weekenders would know what being present and living in the moment is all about! Every inch of the massive 7 bedroom house is meticulously decorated with reminders of what is important. The house reflected the elements of the earth: air, water, fire, and wind. Each can be felt at every moment when you are in the house or at the beach – which is a short one minute walk away.

With so much to do and see, it was easy to go hours without a worry, so I left my phone on the charger and stepped out for some fresh air. I was fortunate to have gone with A LOT of family. We sat for hours talking, playing, laughing, and reminiscing.

Tybee Island has clean, un-crowded, soft sandy beaches that I am ALREADY missing. The lighthouse and pier are hard to miss and easy to visit. As someone who has been to Savannah several time, I was surprised to learn that Tybee was so close by. Next time you are in Savannah, drive out another twenty minutes to Tybee, you won’t regret it!

Not too long ago, I visited another quaint place called Put In Bay, see that post here.

Your Chick,

Rina

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Travel

The TRUE Cost of Visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

March 4, 2019

As a blogger, I frequently turn to other blogs for information. So when I planned to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at Universal Studios I thought I had all the information I needed to make my way through the whole thing without a glitch. I got a lot of great advice, but one BIG thing that was missing from all the posts was the total TRUE cost of seeing all of it, so I decided to write about it.

My daughters are seven and eight years old and in the thick of Harry Potter, we just wrapped up the fourth book so a trip to Orlando seemed perfectly timed. To break down exactly how much you need to budget to truly experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™exhibit here is a tally.

Park Tickets (2 Park Pass) $169.00 Adult / $164.00 Child

The whole Harry Potter world crosses between Universal Islands of Adventure AND Universal Studios. That means you have to buy a two park pass to get to all of its parts. It is connected by the Hogwarts Express train ride (which you CANNOT ride if you only have a one park pass).

Express Passes $120.00/ Per Person Total for Both Parks

You will need one for each person AND EACH PARK (they are $60, per park, per person)!!

The reason why you need this is because if you are NOT lucky enough to live in Orlando and go on non peak times like weekends and holidays, then wait times can be up 120 minutes per ride!!! If you are going all the way to Orlando to see this, then save up and get this pass to assure that you see everything. Otherwise you are just wasting time standing in line.

(**One tip here is to stay at a Universal Orlando Resort, your stay comes WITH fast passes, so you may be able to cut some of your losses there!)

Butter Beer $6.50

It’s a must try really, and is actually really good…we ended up each getting our own!

Wizard gowns are $115.00, broom sticks are $35.00, chocolate frogs are $10.50, and wands start at $50.00. The amount of money (if you have it) that you can spend here is never ending. I did a little Amazon and Walmart shopping before hand and saved myself the trouble and cost of shopping for souvenirs there.

The Takeaway:

Total cost with NO EXTRAS for a family of four to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™is $1152.50

Please know that even with the fast pass, it is UNLIKELY that you will see much else in either Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios, you would have to be really motivated (or have older children).

There are several blog posts that were really helpful and I have linked them below:

Tips for Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Harry Potter Theme Park Tips: What to Know Before Visiting the Wizarding World

10 TIPS FOR VISITING THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

I wish I had a full understanding of the expenses associated with my most recent trip. Hopefully, you found this post helpful.

Your Chick,

Rina

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Travel

4 Reasons To Stay At The Hyatt Regency Orlando

February 26, 2019

When we bought tickets for our Disney and Universal Studios trip a few months back, finding the right hotel at the right price was a daunting task. I know that the Disney and Universal Resorts are amazing. I kept asking myself if it is really necessary after spending the whole day at the park to pay a premium for that experience. I got on Priceline and found an Express Deal of $119** for the 4.5 Star rated Hyatt Regency Orlando and immediately booked it. I knew I would be happy no matter what, but after my stay, I know why this was worth it!

The Location

This property is located less than 5 miles (or a $10 Lyft ride) from Universal Studios and 12 miles (or a $17.00 Lyft ride) from Disney. Parking at the parks were $25/day so in the case of Universal it was cheaper and easier to ride share. What an incredible location, right on International Drive, less than 10 miles from the Premium Outlets. The Hyatt felt centrally located.

The Rooms

For a ‘standard room’ we were thrilled to find luxurious details like a chaise lounger, 415 square feet of space, marble accents in the bathroom, and my kids favorite, a TV in the bathroom mirror! We had plenty of storage space to tuck away all our swimming accessories, shoes, souvenirs, and so much more.

The Pool

Ok, so this is NOT your average pool! It has a medium sized water slide, little beach area complete with beach umbrellas, waterfall cove, zero depth heated pool, hot tub, splash pad, private cabana, full size poolside restaurant, and a little shop that will inflate AND deflate floaters for you! Despite being there on a busy weekend, we never felt like the pool was over crowded and we really enjoyed the variety of settings for kids who like to move around.

The Market

Even though the property has SEVEN dining options on site (yes, 7!) each morning we took advantage of The Market. It truly has a full ‘grocery store’ type menu with not overly inflated prices. My girls were able to grab their favorite cereal, yogurt or oatmeal while I grabbed a coffee and bagel. Starting off my day at The Market for less than $20 was such a convenience before we headed out for a long day of adventure.

This property is also attached to a convention center so to say that it is a big property is an understatement. With all the hustle and bustle of international conferences and weddings, the Hyatt was able to still provide an intimate experience that we really enjoyed.

Typical of any mom in my situation, I was happy that my kids were happy and I was thrilled that I didn’t have to pay more for a place to rest my head after a busy day. If you are in the Orlando area, look into scoring a deal on the Hyatt Regency Orlando, you won’t regret it!

Cheers,

Rina

** On my bill on the way out I noticed that I was charged a $25/day ‘Resort Fee’ which I told the manager was a sneaky move on what I thought was a great deal. But after some consideration, even at $144/night, this place ends up being a pretty good deal.

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Lifestyle, Travel

Stone Mountain: Magic and Memories

February 13, 2019

I have highlighted some of the things that I love to do around the Atlanta area before. One in particular has become really special to is Stone Mountain. Its always an adventure and a family affair when you go there. The trails, the events, the scenery all add up to the memories I have had at this place starting almost 20 years ago when I was in college. My husband and I went on our first date there – we climbed it and chatted the whole way up- best first date ever! It was the perfect start to a relationship filled with fun and adventure (going on 14 years this year).

Stone Mountain is a true all year round experience and as someone who has been a member there for several years, I can say that it is one of the best investments I make year after year. You can look up the benefits of membership yourself, but I want to share why getting into nature with my family and friends brings me the greatest joy of all.

My father is very ‘outdoorsy’ and that gene has definitely passed down to Sonia and I. We watched very little television as kids because my Dad always thought it was better for us to spend our time outside walking, gardening, enjoying the breeze, or doing ANYTHING other than watch TV. The memories we made seeing new parts of our town, or carving out new paths were priceless. I am quite sure that at one point or another we have been to most of the state parks and nature preserves in Illinois. Now that I don’t live near my parents, I am so grateful for that time we spent together talking about their childhood or our lives.

Similarly, getting into nature and checking in with my kids and friends over a walk has become part of our routine in our day to day life. On most days we bike on our street, play tennis, or just sit on our porch, but when we have time, we go to Stone Mountain.

From riding the gondola that takes you to the top, riding the train around the mountain, watching the laser show, or tubing down Snow Mountain, this place is amazing!

What place have you and your family made ‘yours’ ? I’d love to hear about the special things you do build memories in the comments.

Cheers,

Rina