It’s the time of year when we think about gift giving. While I prefer experiences to “stuff,” there’s no doubt that some “stuff” makes those experiences, and life in general, much easier and more enjoyable. But how do you sort through the bombardment of ads and products to find something that’s just right for the traveler in your life? How do you find products that are good quality and fairly priced, providing a value luxury gift for that traveler? Knowing that they are already well armed with their favorite travel products and routines, how do you find something that they don’t already have or that will help your gift stand out from the others. That’s where I hope I can help. These are all products and services that I use and recommend. Some of the links may be affiliate links, […]
Read MoreTwo Months of Travel Through Instagram
It’s been a crazy busy two months of travel for me, and while it was an exciting bit of travel, it reinforces for me the preference to have a home base rather than to be nomadic. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to travel. But I LOVE coming home just as much. There will be stories, reviews, and more details to come out of these travels, of course, but for now here’s a look at it all through Instagram. And you are following me on Instagram, right?! Mid-September took me to Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando. You’ve missed it for this year, but if you’re a fan of the genre, put it on your calendar for next year. Time for a scary good time. A photo posted by Mary Jo Manzanares (@travelingwithmj) on Sep 18, 2015 […]
Read MoreVisiting Two Countries in the Caribbean
I do like to tally up the countries that I’ve visited, not out of any sense of keeping score, more of keeping track. I like looking back and where I’ve been and evoking memories of past travels. Today I added two new countries to the list (I use the list put on by the Travelers’ Century Club): Saint Maarten (the Dutch side of the island) and Sint Martin (the French side of the island). I don’t know what my country total is – I have a lot of geography left to cover – but I do like the representation shown on this map of the world. Click on the link to create a map of your own. Create your own travel map – TravBuddy
Read MorePostcard from the Oasis of the Seas
This week I’m sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas. It is a behemoth of a ship, with a capacity of 6,000 passengers and 3,000 crew members. To avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed, the ship is divided into neighborhoods – my favorites are Central Park and the Boardwalk. There are also plenty of spaces on the ship where you can grab some quiet time, to read, to reflect, or just to stare out at the gorgeous blue water.
Read MoreHotel Review: Mayflower Park Hotel, Seattle
Mayflower Park Hotel Address: The Mayflower Park Hotel is located at 405 Olive Way, Seattle, Washington. Value Luxury Rating: (out of 3 hearts) Features: Located in the heart of downtown Seattle, the classic European-styled Mayflower Park Hotel dates back to 1927. The lobby features chandeliers and antiques, creating an inviting atmosphere for checking in, meeting a guest or just relaxing before heading out for the day. It is accessible by light rail direct from the airport, about a 40-minute trip. The hotel has 160 rooms and 29 suites decorated in color schemes similar to the lobby, and each room features art specially designed for it. Contrasting with the classic headboards and armoires, are all the necessary modern amenities such as a flat panel television, coffee maker, and free wifi. Price Range: I stayed in a King Suite, which had […]
Read MoreHotel Review: Loew’s Portofino Bay Hotel, Orlando
Address: Loew’s Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando is located at 5601 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida. Value Luxury Rating: (out of three hearts) Features: Located on the grounds of Universal Orlando Resort, and a short complimentary water taxi away from CityWalk and the theme parks (and through November first from Halloween Horror Nights), the hotel location is popular with guests wanting the extra benefits that come with staying on property. Those theme park benefits are substantial, adding up to real dollar and cents savings, and include: Express Pass (skip the lines) valued at up to $89/per day, priority seating at many theme park restaurants and first available seating at others, first available seating at CityWalk restaurants, complimentary water taxi to both theme parks (avoid driving and parking), complimentary shuttle to Wet ‘n Wild water park, SeaWorld, and Aquatica, and one hour early […]
Read MoreHalloween Horror Nights: A Hauntingly Good Time
As daytime segued into evening, the personality of Universal Studios Florida segued from fun and frivolity into apprehension and anxiety. I was in Orlando to attend the 25th anniversary edition of Halloween Horror Night, Was I absolutely crazy for putting myself through an evening of terror? Halloween Horror Night started in 1991 with one haunted house and was called Fright Nights. The following year it was re-named to its current moniker, scaring participants for a whopping three nights. The 2015 incarnation features nine houses, five scare zones, and two show productions over 30 nights. Was I crazy? Perhaps. But I was also ready to tackle the evening! I was privileged to attend a pre-scare media session featuring Mike Aiello (the creative force behind HHN), Jon Timon (Universal), Director John Landis (American Werewolf in London), Producer Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead co-executive producer […]
Read MorePostcard from Universal CityWalk
Located adjacent to the entrance to Universal Orlando Resort, Universal CityWalk is a three block dining, shopping, and entertainment district. It’s easily accessible by water taxi from Universal’s on property hotels and resorts. I ate at Vivo (Italian) and Antijito (Mexican), both delicious, and very different in atmosphere. You can pick up souvenirs at the Universal Studios Store (in photo), and there are several stores to pick up whatever you fogot to pack – for me that was a pair of shoes. (NOTE: My trip was sponsored by Universal.)
Read MoreLisbon: Looking Back, Looking Forward
A little over four years ago, we were planning a trip to Portugal. The plan was to stay in the Lisbon area for a week, before continuing on with another week in Tuscany. It was our first trip to Portugal, and in my Type-A way, I researched and found a place to stay in Cascais near the beach, figured out public transportation, and was charting a list of things to see and do. We were traveling with a friend and every few days we shared something new and exciting that we learned. Tickets were purchased, accommodations booked, lists were made. We were ready. BUT – as we were about to be reminded – travel plans don’t always turn out the way we want. Or that we would hope for. Sixteen hours before we were to board our flight for Lisbon, my father-in-law […]
Read MoreVisiting the Ruins of Pompeii: From Tragedy to Tourism
On August 24th, 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted in a violent two day display that destroyed the city of Pompeii, Italy, and the surrounding area. It is one of history’s largest recorded volcanic eruptions, and a tragedy any measure. The city was buried under ash and pumice for nearly 1700 years, and was presumed lost until its accidental re-discovery in the mid-1700s. The subsequent excavation of the site provided a peek at what life was like during the height of the Roman Empire. Rising out of the ash and lava over a thousand years later, Pompeii turned a horrible tragedy into a tourism opportunity. Millions of visitors a year now visit this UNESCO World Heritage site located not far from Naples, along with its sister city Herculaneum. The site is stable and safe to visit, but there have been some […]
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