On a non-descript side street in the 10th arrondissement, through plain doors you enter one of the cutest boutique hotels in Paris. I found the Hotel Mademoiselle through Airbnb of all places but found what turned into the perfect location for our group of six when we were in Paris. From the pleasant and helpful…
When I think of year 2022 I think about the famous first line in Great Expectations: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” After two years of COVID restrictions, we got back to travel in a big way this year, doing extensive travel in the US and Europe this year.…
This the season…to grab a car, train or plane to hop out of town. Often, it’s to see far flung family, but it can also be just to take advantage of the school holiday and travel somewhere fun and festive this time of year. But traveling this time of year, especially in the United States…
For over 25 years, Great Wolf Lodge has been providing fun, family friendly get-aways in resorts designed to provide lodging, food, and entertainment all in one indoor place so you can visit and enjoy year round. Since hearing of their opening in the new Manteca location, our family has been wanting to visit and experience…
It’s hard to picture a trip to Paris that doesn’t include the famous Louvre. Everyone is attracted to the great masters, the Mona Lisa, and looking for the holy grail under the inverted glass pyramid. But when thinking about art, I think it’s criminal to miss the Musee D’Orsay when you are in Paris. This…
When I think of Washington DC, the image that immediately comes to my mind is the tall spire in the center of the National Mall. From there you can see the Capital Building, The Lincoln Memorial, and the White House. That tall spire, created to commemorate our first president, is an iconic monument that is…
Rome has a way of capturing your heart from the moment you set foot in the city. Maybe it’s the history you see everywhere you look. Maybe it’s the food, where it’s near impossible to find a bad meal. Maybe it’s the spiritual feeling you have being surrounded by some of the greatest religious sites…
When researching Lisbon and what to do, my research kept going to the food. You see, Lisbon is a beachside town. It is wonderful Mediterranean climate (though on the Atlantic Ocean) shapes it is cuisine, and that means a lot of amazing, fresh, succulent seafood. After watching YouTube video of the food in Portugal, I…
We had heard about Sintra, the land of fairytale castles a short train ride from Lisbon. During our time in Lisbon we caugh a train to Sintra to check out the colorful and beautiful castles in the hillside. We loved our visit and have fond memories of exploring the romantic ramparts. But we definitely made…
When you think about Paris, it’s hard not to think about the Eiffel Tower. It is the iconic landmark of the city, that anyone recognizes from the silhouette alone. My kids recognized the Eiffel Tower right away, though I suspect it’s because it was often featured in “The Miraculous Ladybug”. When my daughter decided on…