Food Fun Family

5 Reasons to Travel to Kissimmee Florida this Winter

Lolli — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 17:50:20 +0000

I don’t know what the winter weather has been like where you live, but after the last 2 weeks of blizzards, being snowed in for a week, and cold temperatures, I am ready to head back to Florida. I was not made for cold weather living. No, I am much more drawn to sunshine and mild temperatures. Which is why Kissimmee, Florida is pretty much the ideal place for a winter getaway with the family.

My family LOVES to travel to Florida in the winter (it’s the best time of the year to go to Florida, in our opinion!). What’s better than escaping the cold and the snow and trading the big winter coats in for sandals and t-shirts?

Not much.

A few years ago, our entire extended family got together at a resort home in Kissimmee to spend the week of Thanksgiving together. We stayed happily busy every day, and we could have stayed for another 2 weeks and NEVER been bored! I’ve also visited Kissimmee without the kids and couldn’t believe how many things there were to do (I couldn’t wait to bring the kids back to experience everything I tried!). Now, I’m thinking we haven’t even scratched the surface on all Kissimmee has to offer!

Note: all of the images in this post are my own, from the various adventures I’ve had in Kissimmee.

5 Reasons Kissimmee Florida is the Perfect Destination for a Family Vacation This Winter

Amazing Weather: As a California transplant living on the East Coast, I admit that I miss a mild winter. Kissimmee’s year-round beautiful weather is a dream come true for me. There is nothing quite like being able to pull out the sandals for a few days when you’ve been wearing winter boots at home. Lower temperatures make it more comfortable to be active outside, plus the summer humidity (and pesky insects) are gone for the season, making winter time in Florida the perfect time to be outside.

Family Fun: Isn’t it all about finding quality activities for the family to do together? Kissimmee has a little bit of everything (except snow….which is totally ok with me!). Kissimmee is just minutes away from world-famous theme parks including Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando (hello – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the PERFECT place to take a family of tweens and teens!), SeaWorld Orlando, and LEGOLAND Florida.

Lower Prices: Costs tend to go down during the winter months, from hotel and resort fees to the fees for a round of golf. Cheaper prices means that you can afford to do even more on your vacation. During the winter, you are more likely to be able to afford a fancier resort or vacation rental, or you can extend your stay with the money that you save.

Smaller Crowds: The attractions are less crowded during the off-season winter months which means more space to relax and shorter lines at the attractions. When we go to the theme parks in the winter months, we’re able to get one more rides with not as much waiting around, which makes the kids happy. And when the kids are happy, I am happy. Fewer crowds means that you get to do more with your time and enjoy some true relaxation.

Outdoor Adventures: Whether you’re in to ziplining or scouting for alligators on a thrilling airboat ride in the Everglades or soaring above it all in a hot air balloon or simply relaxing next to the pool, Kissimmee has it all. I’ve dabbled in a little bit of everything in Kissimmee, and I have to say that the ziplining can’t be beat! And trust me – ALL of the afore-mentioned activities are much more pleasant during the mild winter months!

Get your FREE Vacation Planning Magazine to plan your next trip to Kissimmee!

Escape the COLD Sweepstakes

So I’ve convinced you that you need to go to Kissimmee now, right? How does WINNING a trip for 4 sound? Between now and March 27, you can enter Experience Kissimmee’s “Escape the Cold” sweepstakes by texting SUNNY to “313131” or by visiting the official sweepstakes site, EscapeCold.com.

You are not going to believe the prizes! Three Grand Prize winners will each receive a Kissimmee getaway for 4. The 5-day/4-night prize package includes:

Round trip airfare for four
Rental Car
5-day/4-night stay at Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel at Celebration
Admission to Gatorland and the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line
Wristbands for unlimited rides at FunSpot America—Kissimmee
Tickets to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom provided by Kissimmee Guest Services
Tickets to La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil
Airboat experience with Wild Willy’s Airboat Tours

Don’t feel lucky enough to win the Grand Prize? Guess what? You’re in luck because DAILY WINNERS will receive a “Winter Survival Kit” containing Kissimmee branded items such as, a scarf, gloves, hand warmers, color changing mug, hot cocoa and more!

Enter HERE! And good luck (you can totally win this!).

To see a few of the things I’ve done in Kissimmee, check out all of my Kissimmee, Florida posts!

Family. Time. Together. {Give Me Your Best Shot PSF}

Lolli — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 05:26:29 +0000

When we got back from our family vacation, “real life” hit me so hard that I hardly had time to reflect on our vacation and the wonderful time our family had together. Frankly, I should be in bed right now and not longingly looking through vacation pictures, but such is my life, right?

I need to start off this post by saying that I have decided to discontinue Give Me Your Best Shot/Photostory Friday. This will be the last link up. Maybe at some point I will decide to start up another photography link up, but I have not been giving this series the attention or the passion that it deserves, and I think it’s simply time to move on to things that I AM passionate and excited about.

And there really ARE things that I’m excited about, both on the blog and in that “real life” that hit me so hard last week.

I have also become very passionate about improving my photography in my Instagram stream, so I do hope you’ll join me there if you haven’t already.

Before I show off a few of the family vacation shots that we captured in Florida, I thought I’d share the VERY FIRST Give Me Your Best Shot post, from almost exactly 7 years ago. SEVEN years! No wonder AJ looks like a baby here!

I have to say…it was a whole lot easier and more fun to take pictures of adorable toddlers. Teens seem to like to give me weird faces more often than they like to smile pretty for the camera. Still, we were able to get some great memory shots during our family vacation (all shots taken on my iPhone). Don’t you think?

(this is the moment that the girls realized that their big sister was asking them to be her bridesmaids!)

Please feel free to link up your photo posts below. I’m going to miss this weekly link up, but I’m excited what is in store for this little blog of mine. Don’t be a stranger!

An InLinkz Link-up

Seven Nights of Sunsets #PSF Give Me Your Best Shot

Lolli — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 03:19:19 +0000

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a week since we packed up the car and started driving back home from Florida. We might have only been in Florida for a little over a week, but the sun and the heat (in the mid-80s the whole time!) literally transported me to a different time and place. I found myself forgetting that we were still in the middle of winter. I was reminded during our stay in Florida that I am not a cold weather person. I like my warmth. I like my sun. I also really love being somewhere where I can actually see the sunset (versus seeing some colorful clouds above my neighbor’s roof tops). Since I captured so many sunset shots (I might have gone a little overboard!) during my stay on the beach, I thought they’d make a perfect Give Me Your Best Shot – Photostory Friday.

Every night at 5:30, I would drop everything I was doing and walk down to the beach. I’d invite anyone to come along with me, so I always had a few beach buddies to appreciate the beautiful landscape with me. It’s incredible how unique each sunset is, even from the exact same vantage point. (In these pictures, there is only one sunset shot from a different beach). Each night was a new inspiration for me. These sunsets filled my spirit.

I think the only sunset I missed during my time in Florida was Christmas Day because I was too busy cooking a big Christmas dinner for 13 people. But that’s another story…

That last picture is my daughter and her fiance. YES…her fiance! If we aren’t friends on Facebook, you might not have seen the news. My daughter got engaged the week before Christmas, and her wonderful fiance joined us in Florida (if we didn’t scare him off after more than a week of living together in close quarters, then I don’t know what will). We are excited to have him join the family!

If you’re wondering…no, I’m totally not old enough to have a daughter getting married. Thanks for asking. ;)

Now it’s time for the first Photostory Friday – Give Me Your Best Shot of the year! We’re pretty laid back here. If you have a post with photos from this past week, feel free to link up below. No rules. Just some good, old fashioned sharing and connecting.

Happy weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Beach Days of Summer #PSF

Lolli — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 21:20:24 +0000

There’s something relaxing and rejuvenating about spending a couple of days at the beach…even if the visit is short.

Since our stop in Florida this week was a quick one as we start off our summer of travel, we tried to fit as much in as possible during our stay.

I had to laugh as we visited the beach a few times….and then came right home to my in law’s house to watch shark week on TV. The fact that the kids kept wanting to go back to swim in the ocean after watching shark week? Kind of incredible.

What have you been up to this week? Link up your posts below.

See you next week!

100% All-Natural Family Adventure #GCFLnofilter

Lolli — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 12:00:23 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gulf County, Florida for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

As summer comes to a close and the kids head back to school, I am reminded why I love summer so much.

Sleeping in, spending quality AND quantity time with family and friends, being adventurous…there is so much about summer vacation to love! This year, though, I refuse to let the adventurous spirit stay dormant til next year. Who says we can’t unplug and reconnect with the people we enjoy the most…any time of the year?

This summer was a blast – 100% all natural family adventure (and I’ve been slowly but steadily sharing all of our adventures here on the blog). Our fun included (but was NOT limited to) hiking in 5 different states, horseback riding, white water rafting, wading in mountain lakes, photographing wildlife and getting to know the West Coast cousins.

Now that we’re home, I’m ready to plan our next adventure!

Gulf County, located in Northwest Florida, might just be the perfect destination for us. With 43 miles of natural shoreline and NO high-rise buildings or busy highways, Gulf County, FL is the ideal place to disconnect to reconnect.

The Tip of Cape San Blas is a popular spot for beach-lovers to pull their boats up to and play in the sun. Great for exploring and shelling as well. Photo by GCTDC, used with permission.

If you’re anything like me, you don’t need much urging to convince you that some unplugged family time enjoying nature, wildlife and adventure is exactly what you need this Fall (and I’m sure that you’ll want to pencil in the same trip for next year and the year after that, too).

There’s something about relaxation, adventure, and good clean family fun that makes me hungry for more! But…if you need some convincing, here’s a little something to make you want to pack your bags for a trip next week!

Enjoy spectacular sunsets on westward-facing white-sand beaches. In fact, GCFL is known as #championofsunsets

Quiet group of shrimp boats docked in St. Joseph Bay at sunset. Fall is the favorite season for sunsets. Photo by GCTDC, used with permission.

Take your camera out for wildlife observing…and maybe get a little wild yourself! Enjoy the beautiful beaches or the beckoning bayous…or maybe you just want to appreciate a little local Tupelo honey. It’s all good!
The beaches in GCFL are consistently ranked in the top ten US beaches to bring your pets on vacation.
GCFL is an amazing place to visit year-round. In fact, more than 18% of visitors enjoy GCFL at least 5 times per year. We personally LOVE visiting Florida in November and December. The weather is ideal (especially compared to home!) and the crowds are small during off-peak months.
GCFL has seaside bike trails, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snorkeling, fishing, and more. Something for everyone!

Memories aren’t always made from big, fancy productions. Instead, connect with your family over the small, happy accidents. Be open to wonder.

Ready to make some plans to Come visit GCFL? What kinds of adventures do you love to go on with your family?

Connect with Gulf County, Florida:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gulfcountyfl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitGulfCounty (the locals and loyal visitors LOVE to chime in on the Facebook page for recommendations and best-kept secrets)
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gulfcountyfl
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gulfcountyfl

Top 10 Reasons You Should Visit Gulf County, Florida

Lolli — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 13:10:56 +0000

This post brought to you by Gulf County, Florida. All opinions are 100% mine.

After this long, cold winter (at least for those of us not living in one of those lucky, warm-all-year states), I am itching to make a trip to Florida. I'd pack up and leave tomorrow if I could. I'm especially eager to spend some time outdoors after being cooped up inside for so many frigid months, and Gulf County Florida has exactly what I need: sun and activities to get me up, out, and moving!

Here are just a few things that I would do if I could travel to Gulf County this Spring:

Disconnect and reconnect. with the beautiful beaches, two stoplights, and spotty WiFi (finally, that's a benefit!) I could leave my phone and my computer inside and let loose and have fun with the family. No work!
Take my inlaw's dogs to the beach. GCFL beaches are consistently ranked in the top 10 US beaches to bring your pets on vacation. Even though I don't have pets, my Florida in laws have several pets, and they're usually with us at the beach.
Enjoy some Tupelo honey. Tupelo Honey is farmed in Gulf County and harvest time is late April through early May. The 24th Annual Tupelo Honey Festival is held on May 17th on the banks of Lake Alice in Wewahitchka.
Take sunset pictures! GCFL is known as #ChampionofSunsets. At Cape San Blas, Gulf County's white sand peninsula, the westward-facing beaches have particularly spectacular sunsets.
Take morning walks on the beach. Culf County boasts 43 miles of natural shoreline. I'd happily replace highrise buildings and busy highways for white-sand beaches.
Enjoy the wildlife. The shores of St. Vincent Island, a national wildlife refugeare part of a 12,000+ acre protected habitat. I’d definitely be bringing my camera there, too…with the big zoom lens!
Grow my seashell collection. Not only does GCFL have an abundance of shells, but they’ve got a great guide for identifying shells on their website. My kids would be all over that!
Hike, walk, and bike! And then kayak and boat and more… I love enjoying nature on foot. GCFL has a ton of walking, hiking, and biking trails and paths to enjoy as well as a multitude of boating adventures.
Get crafty. GCFL has a bunch of fun hands-on craft activities for the whole family.
Eat delicious foods. Not only does GCFL have amazing coastal cuisine at affordable family prices, but they have live music to accompany dinner. Why would I want to stay home and cook when I could enjoy a night out with good food and entertainment?

Like GCFL on Facebook and salute real beauty!

Enter the #GFCLnofilter Contest

#GCFLnofilter details (how to enter):

1. Head outdoors. Snap a selfie doing something you love outside. It' doesn't have to be beautiful. Just be you.

2. Post your picture to Instagram.

3. Use the tag #GCFLnofilter in your caption and tag @gulfcountyfl and tell them what you're doing in your shot.

4. That's it! You're automatically entered to win a free Spring getaway to Gulf County, Florida.

See my entry on my Instagram stream! I love talking walks and hikes with my kids and enjoying nature. It has been so cold for so long here that this weekend's temps in the 60s made a huge difference! I couldn't wait to get outside and stretch my legs! Now, if I was in GCFL I'd be walking around the beaches and letting the sand get in between my toes. And I'd trade the hat for a pair of sunglasses!

Bonus:

For every entry to the #GCFLnofilter contest, Gulf County will donate $1 to Outdoor Nation – up to a final donation of $5,000. Outdoor Nation is all about reconnecting the Millennial Generation to the outdoors. Our health, the health of our communities, and the health of our planet depend on it.

#GCFLnofilter Contest Prizes:

Five (5) long-weekend Spring getaways to Gulf County will be given out at random. GCFL will draw a new winner every week and one extra at the end of the sweepstakes. They'll provide lodging in some unique places along the Gulf, St. Joseph Bay or Port St. Joe.

Each prize package will also include $200 for travel expenses and $150 towards your choice (ie, an excursion in Gulf County).

For more information, visit the Contest Tab on Facebook.

What would you love to do at GCFL? Come visit GCFL

SeaWorld Orlando – #PSF Give Me Your Best Shot

Lolli — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:47:55 +0000

When I was in the early planning stages of our trip to Florida at Thanksgiving, I figured that our big theme park experience would be at Disney World. I mean….Orlando IS Disney, right?

Strangely, as much as we are Disney fans, my kids had other things in mind. I guess for the teen crowd, Harry Potter is WAY more exciting (I admit–I loved Universal). And before I talked with Tim at Kissimmee Guest Services, I had never really considered spending a day at SeaWorld. I am so glad that Tim convinced me to go–our day at SeaWorld really was one of the highlights of our trip, especially since we were able to sneak away with a smaller group that day.

What we loved about SeaWorld:

The shows – we watched 3 shows while we were there (and would have watched more if we had had time!). From the dolphins to the Shamu killer whales to the silly sea lions, each show was entertaining, well-orchestrated, and long. Yes, I noticed in particular that the shows weren’t over as soon as they started, like other animal shows that I’ve seen. We really loved watching the amazing tricks that the dolphins and Orcas could do, and we were incredibly luck to have fantastic seats at both shows. The sea lions? One word: hilarious!
Hands-on experiences – The kids loved being able to get their hands wet (literally) and get up close to so many species of fish. I was fascinated by the unique ways that SeaWorld brought the sea life closer to us, from being able to feed dolphins by hand to walking through a tunnel surrounded by sharks.
Festive atmosphere – I loved the way that SeaWorld brought the holiday season to life with all of their decorations and music. I felt like I was walking through Santa’s workshop.
Laid back – Unlike the typical rush of a typical theme park, SeaWorld made me feel relaxed and happy. November was definitely an ideal time of year to be there, as the crowds were very manageable.

Here’s a peek at some of the things we saw and experienced at SeaWorld:

Note: We received 4 complementary tickets to SeaWorld from Kissimmee Guest Services, but all thoughts, opinions, and photos are my own.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

To play Give Me Your Best Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
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Where to Get the Best Orlando Theme Park Tickets – Kissimmee Guest Services

Lolli — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 04:11:08 +0000

As our family of 12 planned our recent trip to Florida, there was a lot of discussion about where to get the best theme park tickets. As magical as Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld are, deciding when to go, how many days to spend at each park, and where to purchase tickets was not something I wanted to have to deal with on vacation.

In fact, I think one of the best decisions our family made was purchasing our tickets before we even left home. We avoided lines, got a great deal, and were all set to enjoy the parks as soon as we got into town.

One of the best connections I made before I left for our Florida trip was with Kissimmee Guest Services, and they will be on my Orlando-area speed dial for the next time my family makes a trip down there.

Who is Kissimmee Guest Services?

First of all, the people at Kissimmee Guest Services are some of the most helpful people you’ll ever meet. They are known, not only for great prices, but for their incredible customer service.

KGS is an Authorized Ticket Seller for Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Orlando. They are conveniently located in Celebration, near Disney World, and are easy to get to from Interstate 4 or Hwy 192.

Kissimmee Guest Services helps you avoid the long waits in line at the parks to purchase your tickets. And best of all, their tickets come with a low price guarantee which insures you’re getting the best prices.

They are one of the only companies in the Orlando area that offers free delivery of your tickets to your vacation home, resort or hotel.

KGS is NOT a ticket booth in a gas station, restaurant or gift shop offering to send you on a timeshare tour or sell you someone else’s previously used tickets that won’t work at the parks when you get there. Their employees are NOT commissioned sales people pressuring you to purchase more tickets than you will need.

KGS DOES pride itself in taking care of their guests with integrity and customer satisfaction – they want to make sure that each guest leaves happy. Their team members frequently visit the parks and shows so that they stay up to date on what’s happening at Orlando’s theme parks.

Contact Kissimmee Guest Services for your next trip to the Orlando area

Call KGS at 1.877.273.5636
Visit them on the web at www.kgstickets.com
Connect with KGS on their Facebook Fan Page at facebook.com/KGStickets

Note: Kissimmee provided our family with four complimentary tickets to SeaWorld, and then we purchased additional tickets for the rest of the group for the day. All opinions are my own.

Become a Minion – The New Despicable Me Ride at Universal Studios #WW

Lolli — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 22:40:14 +0000

My almost-16-year-old is a huge Despicable Me fan, and so she was particularly excited to ride the new Despicable Me ride at Universal Studios. The ride was awesome, but we had nearly as much fun in the line, taking pictures at each poster along the way….

Linked up to Wordful Wednesday, Wordish Wednesday, and Wordless Wednesdays all over.

Are you playing along with Wordless or Wordful Wednesday today? Link up!
Want to grab my button?

Boggy Creek Airboat Rides in Kissimmee, Florida #PSF

Lolli — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 21:17:33 +0000

Kissimmee, Florida, trip: Day 2

You’d never know that any of my kids were nervous and hesitant about taking their first airboat ride.

Last Monday I had my second experience at Boggy Creek Airboat Rides, but this was the first time any of my kids had been on an airboat ride.

And we all had a blast!

If there were ever any doubts or fears, they were wiped away when AJ noticed that the wind was filling up his shorts. Yeah…sadly, we didn’t quite dress appropriately for the weather. It was a lot colder in the morning than we thought. And the white skies did not make for dynamic photos.

On our 30 minute airboat tour, we saw several fascinating species of birds, including an adult bald eagle and her 8 foot wide nest high in the trees above Boggy Creek (yes, that little black speck on top of the tall tree to the left is an eagle).

While we explored the waters and vegetation of Boggy Creek, John, our boat captain, took us up close and personal with as much wildlife as he could find. Unlike my airboat ride back in April, this time the alligators were being shy. According to John, alligators will stay underwater (and under the grasses) until the sun is out and warm enough for them. Apparently, our over-cast chilly November day was not ideal for gator-sighting.

Amazingly, the kids didn’t complain about not seeing any alligators. I guess the birds, the bubble-gum-colored apple snail eggs, and the exhilaration of the speed of the airboat were enough to keep them 100% happy.

When we arrived back at the dock, John surprised the kids with the chance to sit in his captain’s seat. They loved the chance to sit up in the high perch, where they had a clear view of everything (and an exaggerated feeling of power…what kid doesn’t love that?).

When we got back, Necco declared that she had taken 220 photos during our ride (sure evidence that she was having a great time!)…and she was one of the kids nervous about getting on a boat.

Note: We received a complementary airboat ride for our family, but all thoughts, opinions, and photos are my own.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli