Although we had been to Disney twice prior to this trip, we had never been to Universal.  (Ok, I actually went in my 20s for one day after running the Disney Marathon but that was so long ago and a kid-less trip so it doesn’t count.)  The details and logistics of the Universal portion of our trip were completely foreign to me.  The things below were the things that I was most worried/confused about. Tickets Why oh why are Universal tickets so expensive?!?  Seriously, I’m not sure why people complain so much about Disney prices when Universal is actually more …

A road trip is an iconic American vacation. There is something special about watching the states and towns tick by as you head towards your next destination. In general there are two types of road trips – the first is where you are heading to a far away destination and make stops along the way to break up the trip and the second is where the stops are your destinations. We took the second kind with stops throughout the state of Florida. Below are a combination of tips and lessons learned that will hopefully help you to get the most …

An Alaska cruise is like no other cruise. Forget your typical tropical beach ports and miles of ocean on a Caribbean cruise and prepare for chilly glacier days and stunning scenery in Alaska. You won’t regret leaving those beaches behind. Cruise line matters. I can’t tell you how many times I read that cruise line doesn’t matter in Alaska. “You go to Alaska for the scenery, not the cruise ship” the argument goes. I disagree. Yes, the primary purpose of taking an Alaskan cruise is to see Alaska in all its glory. But we still spent 7 nights on the …

Visiting the nation’s capital is a rite of passage for many kids growing up in America.  Filled with history, culture, and national landmarks, there is enough to keep you busy if you took a dozen trips here.  With so much to see and do, DC is a city you should look to cross off your family’s travel bucket list. For a short visit, stay in the city. We had 3 days in DC and in order to maximize our time, we stayed in the city.  Hotels are more expensive in the district than in the suburbs, but there are lots …

Atlanta is a great long weekend trip from Charlotte.  You can easily fill 3-4 days there with kid-friendly activities.  Check out my Atlanta family travel tips below for help planning your own visit. Get the Atlanta CitiPASS. Save money and time waiting on lines by buying the Atlanta CitiPASS.  The pass gives you access to 5 of Atlanta’s top tourist attractions.  You’ll save money if you go to at least 4 of them. Stay downtown. This actually goes against the traditional advice.  Everyone will tell you NOT to stay downtown because it shuts down at 5:00 and offers little in …