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The Inn at Laguna Beach: A Review

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The Inn at Laguna Beach combines a laid-back beach vibe with a modern luxurious feel. Check out our review of The Inn at Laguna Beach here!

A few weeks ago, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit Southern California for the first time. I know, I know. It’s hard to believe that we’d never been there before, but it is true. Frankly, it is a long way from our home base in Indiana, and we’ve never really had any reason to go to California. So, we decided to tack some extra time onto the end of our trip to Las Vegas and head to sunny Laguna Beach for a few days.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to like SoCal. Personally, I could never figure out what all the hype was about. I’ve been a lot of beautiful places in my life, and Southern California just didn’t seem to be burning a hole in my pocket.

After landing in L.A. and spending the afternoon there, I was really starting to wonder what the big deal was. We spent some time meandering through Hollywood and Beverly Hills, but the neighborhoods and houses weren’t any nicer than a lot of the places near where we live.

Then, there is the traffic. If there’s one thing (other than movies…and smog) that L.A. is famous for, it is this. Trying to get out of L.A. was pretty much a nightmare. Where we come from, driving 40 miles should take 40 minutes to an hour, tops. Our little trek to Laguna Beach took us about 2 hours. Oi!

However, once we made it into Orange County, the traffic began to subside and the natural beauty of the area took our breath away. After exiting I-5 onto CA-133, we could barely contain our excitement. As we began our downward descent into Laguna Beach, we were blown away by the scenic hills and cliffs surrounding the town. Winding our way down to the beach, we immediately felt at home with Laguna’s artsy vibe. We hit the “T” at CA-1 and spotted our hotel, The Inn at Laguna Beach. [Read more…]

Green Turtle Floating Bed and Breakfast

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Green Turtle Floating Bed and Breakfast

Green Turtle I, Sea Turtle Suite (Image courtesy of Green Turtle Floating Bed and Breakfast)

One of the greatest draws of traveling is the different experiences that you gain. There are new and exciting things, different cultures, different people to meet, and things that are just plain different from what you are used to every day.

Different is what the Green Turtle Floating Bed and Breakfast provides

In your quest for new and different experiences, have you sought out a floating place to sleep? The Green Turtle Floating Bed and Breakfast offers up not one, not two, but three different vessels to call home for a night. While you stay there, safely docked in the historic Charleston Navy Yard, you can fall asleep to the calming rock of the ocean and awake to salty air and a view across the bay to the Boston skyline. [Read more…]

Travelodge Las Vegas Strip: Getting Value on The Strip

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Travelodge Las Vegas Strip:

Photo Credit: By Chris Yunker via Flickr and Creative Commons

If you’ve looked at the hotels on the Las Vegas Strip lately, you’ve probably noticed that the prices are not exactly cheap. Perusing room rates that are $250 and above for one night is enough to make the frugal fiend in you want to skip the trip all together. Heck, some of the hotels on The Strip charge over $800 per night just for the privilege of laying in their beds! (Yep, you read that right. 8 hundo.) Tack on a resort fee that runs about $40, and you could be doing some serious damage to your gambling budget before you ever step foot into a Vegas casino.

Not to fear. There is a cheaper way to experience the Las Vegas Strip…and it doesn’t involve gambling with thousands of dollars and begging for a partially comped room. Enter the Travelodge.

Granted, if you want to feel like a baller, this probably isn’t the place for you. If you are like me, though, you plan to use your room for sleeping just a a few hours a night day. In that case, what’s the point of spending a ton of money on a room you will barely use? All you need is a comfortable bed. So, if you want to play like a baller and stay in relative comfort, the Travelodge on the Las Vegas Strip will suffice. [Read more…]

The Flamboyant Cottage – Saba

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The Flamboyant Cottage Saba

The Flamboyant Cottage (via permission from The Flamboyant Cottage)

Adorned with gingerbread style woodwork, like many of the homes and cottages on Saba, the Flamboyant Cottage adds a dash of fuchsia to the façade to give it that flamboyant touch. Like other cottages in Saba, this one is nestled into the side of a rather steep hill, which provides both exercise and stunning views. Looking out over the water, St. Eustatius, or Statia as it is known, is just off to the left, with St.Kitts and Nevis also visible on the horizon.

This little cottage offers up two bedrooms, each with its own ensuite, including tiled shower. The quaint, bright, beach paint job and construction make the whole place picturesque, [Read more…]

Staying on the Oregon Coast at the Shearwater Inn

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On the Oregon Coast at the Shearwater InnThe Shearwater Inn is a medium-sized hotel located on the Oregon coast in Lincoln City. It’s about a two-hour drive from Portland depending on which route you take and traffic.

Booking the room on their website could not have been easier, though the site didn’t automatically email a reservation confirmation. I did call to double-check and all was well.

Upon driving into the small parking lot of the Shearwater Inn, I was pleased at how close it’s located to the beach. Hotels along the coast can be placed on either side of the main highway which makes a difference depending on the experience you would like to have.  The hotel is located in a fairly busy section of Lincoln City so we were especially excited to be closer to the shore.

The customer service clerk was super friendly and helpful as we checked in.  [Read more…]

Queenstown, New Zealand: Breakfree The Waterfront

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Queenstown, New Zealand: Breakfree The Waterfront

Photo credit: By Lawrence Murray via flickr and Creative Commons

Nestled beside the banks of Lake Wakatipu’s crystal clear waters and the scenic The Remarkables mountains, Queenstown, New Zealand is one of the most popular four-season tourist destinations in the Southern Hemisphere. Located in the southwestern corner of New Zealand’s south island, the city is home to just over 30,000 residents. Although the population may seem a bit small, don’t let that fool you. According to the city’s official tourism website, Queenstown plays host to about 1.9 million visitors each year. From downhill skiing to golf, art museums to nightlife, there is something for everybody in Queenstown.

Being a major travel destination, Queenstown is packed with different hotels, motels, and B&B’s. However, the Breakfree The Waterfront hotel certainly stands out among the crowd. [Read more…]

Majestic Colonial Punta Cana Review

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In February of 2013, we traveled to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic for the very first time.  Truth be told, it was our first international trip.  It was also the first time that either of us had ever seen a beach outside of the United States.  Well, if you’re planning a trip to the Dominican Republic, you need to brace yourself.  Not only is it a country rich in culture and scenery, but the D.R. also has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

The Majestic Colonial

We chose to stay at the Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana for a few reasons.  First, we wanted to stay at an all-inclusive resort since it was our first time venturing outside of the United States.  Second, the Majestic Colonial was reasonably priced as well.  It definitely wasn’t the cheapest resort we looked at, but it wasn’t the most expensive either.  Ultimately, we decided that the resort offered a good value for our dollars and chose to go for it.  And I’m so glad we did. [Read more…]