Regardless if you live in Atlanta or just come into the city for the fireworks there is no better deal than the Red, White, and Boom Package at the Glenn Hotel (a Marriott property).  You can celebrate Independence Day with a romantic getaway or a girls weekend out at the Glenn Hotel and view the fireworks display in Centennial Olympic Park from the roof-top sky lounge.  The affordable $129 a night package includes free parking, unlimited access to the Sky Lounge (rated Top 23 Best Roof-Top Bars), BBQ on the roof from noon to 3:00 p.m., breakfast and an early check-in of 12:00.

Reservations
Be sure that promotional code HO9 appears in the Corporate/Promotional code box when making your online reservation, or call 1-800-228-9290 in the US and ask for promotional code HO9.

• Valid through:   July 5, 2011
• Promotional Code:   HO9

The Glenn Hotel is located at 110 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

Yep, we got here on Saturday for the Callaway Gardens Summer Family Adventure. It’s a summer camp for families featuring activities such as water skiing, circus, zip lines, and more.   I’ve actually stolen a few minutes while the boys went off to Aqua Island, but I wanted to let you know that I will be posting tidbits of our stay on Facebook, Twitter, and here on the blog throughout the week.

Today was Day 1 of camp and we had a BLAST!  We did some circus training with the FSU Circus.  I have video and will post it this week some time.  By the way, when I say “we”, I mean my husband.  I couldn’t get up the ladder – seriously.  Those acrobat performers are way stronger than you could ever imagine.  Earlier today we went on a Floral Border Walk with the Director of the Gardens at the Shibley Center.  I took some amazing photographs.

The flowers were amazing…

James’ camp was with the 7 and 8 year olds and they did Circus Skills today as well as T-Shirt Tie-Dye and Sandcastle competition.  He was really shy and uncomfortable around all the strangers but his camp counselors (FSU Students) were awesome with him and although he ended up having a slow start he is looking forward to tomorrow.

Ethan and his friend Derek were with the teen group and they had a blast today water skiing.  He took video of it and we are going to do some editing and post it in our final post.  They also did tennis skills and drills and flips on the flying trapeze (more video of this to come too).

So, it’s almost dinner time and the family went back to Aqua Island while I stole some quite time on the screened porch of our cottage.  I love Callaway Gardens.

About Summer Family Adventure

Summer Family Adventure is a 7-day summer vacation reconnecting your family in a natural, wholesome, authentic environment.  It is the joy of escaping life’s daily stresses, letting children be children while adults rejuvenate their spirit!

Summer Family Adventure is partnered with The FSU Flying High Circus to provide a family camp experience that captivates all ages, interests and skills with expert-led programs the whole family will love.

Our younger guests, age 3-17, are whisked away Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to participate in our children’s center and day camp activities, while our adults can spend the day as active or leisurely as they please.

(Originally published December 2009) This past weekend I was scheduled to go to Savannah on a woman’s retreat filled with rest and relaxation. My friend Debbie and I were all set, but on Thanksgiving night Debbie got sick. My husband volunteered to step in and hang out with me so that I wouldn’t have to cancel the trip. Although I truly love my husband, he can sometimes be the source of my much needed rest and relaxation, so I was a bit disappointed.

However, much to my dismay my hubby was incredible. He was so much fun and never once complained about anything! Not only did he drive all the way (about 5 hours), he never once road-raged. He even brought to me to nail salon before we left to get my brows waxed. The entire weekend was just a dream…

The Country Inn & Suites we stayed at was in Historical Savannah. Since the location is in the heart of the historic district full of one-way streets it took us a while to figure out where to park. There are a limited amount of parking spots under the hotel, but there is a huge parking deck across the street that the hotel validates parking for.

Check-in was a breeze and the lobby was very welcoming. The decor was beautiful and representative of Historical Savannah. The room we had was clean, but right off the elevator so it was some times noisy. My only “complaint” was that the website said there was a microwave and refrigerator in each room, but we had neither. I was really disappointed because we had brought a bunch of food and drinks and had to throw it out because we had no where to keep it.

We picked the perfect weekend to visit. Savannah was having their Holly Days event and there was so much to do and see. We visited all the little shops on River Street (the Savannah Candy Shop has the most incredible Pecan Pralines I have ever had) and on Broughton Street (the Honey House was my favorite shop). We even went to the ocean to take pictures…

We are definitely going back to do the Ghost Tours and some other things we couldn’t fit into our weekend. I want to get my picture taken where Forrest Gump sat on the bench (which is no longer there) in the movie and to find the statue from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The itineraries of things to do is almost limitless, check it out here.

Country Inn & Suites has set up some great retreat ideas for the following locations:

* Atlanta
* California
* Chicago
* Cincinnati
* Hershey and Harrisburg
* Jacksonville
* New York
* Phoenix
* Savannah
* Tampa

Here are some goofy pics we took of each other…

Have you ever been to Savannah?  If so, where are some of the places that you recommend checking out – we would love to know.

Hotel room was provided by Country Inn and Suites for purpose of writing this post.

We are doing a 3-part series on our recent stay at The King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort focusing on the hotel, the food, and the excursions. I hope you will check back over the next couple weeks as we share our getaway with you in celebration of their 75-year anniversary.

Nestled on St. Simons Island on the coast of Georgia you will find a historical treasure known as The King and Prince.  Immediately upon arrival it felt like going back to a historical time and place.  It felt like the rich and famous of the 1920s.  The buildings and grounds were impeccable and the sounds of the waves beating on the rocks only added to the mystical atmosphere.

The Entrance

View from the Beach

The Grounds

The lobby was just as nice.  If you closed your eyes you could almost imagine what The King and Prince might have looked like during the 20s and 30s.  It was a retreat for the rich and famous where everyone “in the know” gathered for fun.  The lobby, the second floor, and the staircase are all in line with the original decor.  Even through the worse hurricanes they were able to keep the original stained glassed windows in the dining area.

The Lobby

My Husband's Favorite Accent Piece

Original Stained Glass Windows

Our room was located in the oceanfront building – a newer addition from the main historical building.  We liked how, as they added on, they kept the same overall feel throughout the resort.  Our king-bedded balcony room overlooked the swimming pools and the ocean.  All the rooms have been recently renovated and the color choice – blues/yellows – were very relaxing.  The bed was super high (especially for a 5’2″ shorty like me), but were ubber comfortable – especially with the tons of extra pillows.  The bonus feature of the room other than the mini-fridge was the KEURIG!  Yes, the room came with complimentary coffee, tea, and cocoa and it’s own Keurig coffeemaker.

Philosopher James

Our Room

Sitting Area

Modern Conveniences

The resort featured tons of amenities ranging from a spa to fitness center.  All were maintained nicely and all the machines were fully functional.  The pool/beach area was the selling point for me and my hubby.  Bragging 4 pools (including an indoor pool in the lobby area) we spent an entire day lounging in the chairs poolside/oceanside.  They also offered a full menu and cocktail service (look for our food/beverage post).  If golf is  your thing they have their own course as well – but neither of us golf.  The resort did give us some great leads on things to do in and around St. Simons Island and we took advantage of a few of them (look for our posts).

High Tide

View From Our Balcony

The Pool

James and Lisa

Tide Going Out

If you are looking for a great vacation package, look no further.  The King and Prince offers some great discounts throughout the year such as a Beach, Bed & Breakfast package and Golf package.

Find The King and Prince on Twitter.

Find The King and Prince on Facebook.

Read The King and Prince Blog.

Call for reservations: 877.475.0972

Disclosure: We were invited as guest to The King and Prince to facilitate our review.  Our opinions are in no way influenced by our complimentary stay.

Disclaimer: Dear Keurig – please know that I feel in love with you at the hotel and you are at the top of my Christmas wish list.

Last Fall my family and I had the opportunity to experience the Great Wolf Lodge in Charlotte-Concord, North Carolina.  I thought it might be a perfect time to share our experience with you since summer is here and families are looking for great places to travel to.

The Rooms

The resort offers fun and unique suite styles for guests (up to 8).  The suites include premium features such as mini-fridges and microwaves (musts for traveling families).  The beds were as comfortable as any upscale hotel we have stayed at, but the pull-out sofa bed was terribly uncomfortable and we rotated who slept there each night.  The rooms were very clean and smoke-free.    Here is a snap shot of what we saw when we arrived…

Yummy chocolate covered strawberries, homemade cookies, and gifts for our kids (not a standard luxury).

The Activities

The important thing for our family is that we have to have a large variety of things to satisfy all our age groups.  My sons are age 6 and 17 and my husband is 31 but the Great Wolf Lodge pulled it off.  My sons spent hours going through the halls enjoying their magic wands and discovering hidden treasures.  My husband pruned himself on the water slides and I basked in the sun at the outdoor pool.  I’m not sure if there are other resorts that feature a huge indoor water park, but it was truly an incredible experience.  Where else can you swim, slide, and splash when it is cold and raining outside?

If swimming isn’t your thing there are tons of various activities to enjoy from The Clock Tower Show to the Northern Lights Arcade.  My boys favorite activity was the MagiQuest.  From the site: “Slaying a dragon? Defeating a Goblin King? It’s all part of MagiQuest, a one-of-a-kind, live-action adventure game. Armed with high-tech wands, your family must solve magical challenges throughout the resort to gain powers (and points) and move to higher levels of the game. Wand – $14.99 and up.  Game – $9.99″  Did I mention they have a spa for kids?  Too bad I don’t have a daughter, that would have been a nice treat.

The Food

There are several onsite places to eat.  We did Dunkin Donuts one morning, but did not eat onsite the majority of the time.  Although the food smelled divine, it was somewhat pricey, especially for a large family.  Everyday I walked by The Loose Moose Cottage my mouth would salivate and I would get so hungry.  It is definitely worth checking out if you budget for it.  They have great restaurants within driving distance of the resort if you are so inclined to venture out.

Final Thoughts

I would go back to the Great Wolf Lodge in a heart beat, but I would probably have to utilize one of their common package deals to make it more affordable for our family.  I truly loved everything about the experience and the amount of activities they had to offer.  My one and only complaint is the long, long wait for elevators.  Since MagiQuest is a live-action adventure game that takes place throughout the resort the elevators are ALWAYS busy and the wait can be up to 5 minutes at peek times.  Overall the GWL is a “must do” for all.

There are several locations for you to experience this fun resort – which is closest to you?

• Charlotte-Concord, NC
• Grand Mound, WA
• Grapevine, TX
• Kansas City, KS
• Mason, OH
• Niagara Falls, Canada
• Pocono Mountains, PA
• Sandusky, OH
• Sheboygan, WI
• Traverse City, MI
• Williamsburg, VA
• Wisconsin Dells, WI

Disclosure:  We were invited as guests to The Great Wolf Lodge, but our opinions are unbiased and truly our own.