- Lauren Ehrhardt

Universal Studios-Orlando

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.

Note: this post has been updated following a December 2024 trip

Tootsie’s Bottom Line:

  • Where to stay: on property, you get early park admission. Premium hotels give the Express Pass free; recently stayed at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel-great location and worth the extra $ if you can do it
  • Tickets: my parents buy the park-to-park tickets and SPLURGE on the Express Passes and it’s so worth it. Note: this is built into the hotel rate at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.
  • Be sure to download the Universal app
  • RIDES: here’s my list of MUST DO:
  • Food: if you follow us, you know we are not foodies. My favorites:
    • On our most recent trip, we made dinner reservations before our trip. It was nice to take a break and walk right to a table, eat and return to the park! Definitely do this!! Here’s where we went-all in City Walk
      • Antijitos: really good Mexican food-tableside guac was awesome! Amazing service!!
      • Hard Rock Cafe: great service, good burgers and wings-large menu and something for everyone
      • The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium-had a late dinner and dessert-a must visit-try the flight of shakes
      • Butter Beer-sold at both the Hogsmeade (Islands of Adenture) and Diagon Alley (Universal Studios)-get it every chance you get!!!
      • Starbucks in the lobby of Cabana Bay; also right inside the gate of Islands of Adventure
      • The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium-need to try one of their shakes
      • Bay Liner Restaurant-mini food court
      • Margaritaville-got caught in terrible storm and this was close-was pretty good
      • City Walk-an area outside the entrance to the parks has tons of restaurants of every type-check out this link for the full list of restaurants and hours
  • Transportation: bus from hotel to park-busses are easy to get and run non-stop
VelociCoaster at Islands of Adventure-Photo credit: Wikipedia

Overview

Let me start with this, I LOVE rides! I grew up in a family of people that love rides and, as the youngest, I knew I had no choice but to love them, too. I’m so glad that I was “strongly encouraged” to ride a roller coaster (Tower of Terror) that may have been a little out of my range at the age of 6! I won’t lie, it was terrifying and my mom says it wasn’t her “best parenting moment”, but I came out on top and now I love rides of all kinds!! I had to write this blog because Universal Studios is one of my absolute favorite places to go on vacation! You need a plan though. Here’s how we do it.

“Universal” is made up of three, soon to be four parks, Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios-Orlando, Volcano Bay and coming in 2025, Epic Universe. We have only been to Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios; they are beside each other and you can easily travel between them on the Hogwarts Express, you must have a Park-to-Park ticket to ride. This is an upgrade from the basic ticket that allows you to go between 2, 3 or 4 parks. See below for details on tickets.

The two parks are very different in the types of rides and the themes. Islands of Adventure is mostly thrill rides and rollercoasters. Universal Studios is based on tv and movie themes and allows guest to “ride the movies”. The Revenge of the Mummy and Men in Black are two favorites in Universal.

Where to Stay

Photo Courtesy Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

We returned to Universal in December 2024 and stayed at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. It is walking distance (about 10 minutes) to the park or you can take the boat. It was a great location and we walked each day. We also got Express passes “free” because we stayed at the Portofino. Everyone that worked at the hotel was very helpful. There are several restaurants and a great gelato/cafe on site. My parents upgraded our room to a deluxe double queen so that the five of us could fit. We brought an air mattress and while it was tight we made it work for the 3 night stay. It’s important to compare prices before reserving-compare the cost of the package if you are adding express tickets to the cost of one of the premium hotels that includes the express passes. My parents found that weren’t always much different.

Photo courtesy Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort

When we go, we stay on property. Recently, we stayed at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort. The hotel worked well for our family because there are two beds, a pull out sofa and small kitchenette. Very old-fashioned type of hotel. There’s a big pool with a lazy river and waterslide. They also have a firepit near the pool! As I said above, when we ate our meals at the hotel, we either grabbed food to go from Starbucks before jumping on the bus to the park or we ate at the Bay Liner. This is more of a food court than a restaurant which works great for our family since we eat such different food. Generally, we stay at the park from open until close so if we eat here it’s because we’ve taken a break or the park isn’t open very late. Bottom line is it costs a bit more to stay on property but you get some nice perks and don’t have to move your car. To summarize:

  • All on property hotels provide free transportation to and from the parks
  • All on property hotels provide early/late park access
  • Premium hotels provide a FREE Universal Unlimited Express Pass-this is worth $100+/person/day
  • Access to other hotels pools is permitted for guests of Premier, Preferred or Prime Value Resorts

Tickets

You can buy all kinds of different ticket types. You can buy a ticket to one of the parks for one day. That will get you admission to one park for one day. You can also buy a ticket for one day that will allow you to go to multiple (two or three) parks. You can also buy a multi-day ticket that allows you to go to one park for multiple days or multiple parks for multiple days. The park-to-park ticket (multiple parks ticket) allows you to move freely between two or three parks all day. You will choose the number of parks you want access to and the number of days that you want to have single park or park-to park access. The park-to park access is an upgrade and is not required. Once you have an idea of how many days and parks you want to visit, you’ll need to decide if you want the Express Pass. The Universal Unlimited Express pass is an extra that allows you to go into a special line that is shorter and gives you “express” access to a ride. This is definitely worth it if you like rides! Beware that this can cost almost as much as the ticket though.

One of the big advantages of staying “on property” is that you get early admission to parks. On property means staying in one of the hotels that Universal Orlando owns or manages. Having an extra hour to access the rides is a big perk and can make a huge difference in how much you can do in a day. There are lots of people staying in their hotels though so there are still crowds. The premium hotels, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Lowes Royal Pacific Resort and Hard Rock Hotel add a free Universal Express Unlimited pass to your daily tickets when you are a guest.

Planning Your Day

It is important whether you stay on property or not that you have a plan. Each of the parks is divided into areas that have rides and entertainment. Knowing what you like will tell you where to start.

Be sure to download the Universal Studios Orlando/Hollywood app before going. The app is a great resource for park hours, map, hotels, restaurants, etc. You can link your tickets and a payment method to make your day seamless. The best part of the app in my opinion is the wait times-being able to see the wait times allows you to adjust your strategy, if needed. The interactive map makes navigating the park so much easier. Showtimes, dining reservations, placing mobile food and drink orders are some additional options as well. This is a must for your trip!

Islands of Adventure

Regardless of whether you’re on property or not, certain rides will attract huge crowds. We always prioritize a few rides and do those first so that no matter what happens with the rest of the day, we’ve done what we wanted to. Here is a link to the park map. This is helpful for making your plan for the day! We’ve been to Universal a few times and pretty much start the same way each time, we use our early hour of admission to head straight to the Harry Pottery rides in Islands of Adventure. Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. For those less excited about the coasters, Hagrid’s is fast but no loops and a very cool ride! Once we have these rides done, we will grab some butter beer (get the butter beer!) and head to our next favorite, The Hulk. Once this is done we take a breather and explore the other rides in this section of the park. We gradually make our way back to Harry Potter section where we take the Hogwart’s Express to Universal Studios. Hogwart’s Express is a train the connects Islands of Adventure to Universal Studios. The train transports riders from Hogsmeade Station in Islands of Adventure to the King’s Cross Station in the London area of Universal Studios.

Photos courtesy Universal Studios Orlando and Wikipedia

Universal Studios

Although the Universal Studios park isn’t known for their huge rollercoasters, it has plenty of excitement. Since we’ll arrive via Hogwart’s Express, our first stop will be Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringott’s. This is an exciting ride in the dark through underground bank vaults that ultimately returns you safely to Diagon Alley.

Photos courtesy Universal Studios Orlando

From Diagon Alley, we’ll make our way out to Men in Black Alien Attack where our family will enjoy a ride/game combo. This is a nice break from the big rides and is really fun. We then hit the virtual reality ride, The Simpson’s. We continue to make our way around the park until we arrive at the last must do.

Hollywood Rip Ride RockIt is the last and one of the greatest coasters in these parks, (Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando). When you climb into the seat of this roller coaster, you’ll have the chance to chose your own personal anthem for the ride. In the picture to shown, the far left of the ride goes straight up. You guessed it, when the ride starts, the seats rock back and the only thing to look at is the sky. After climbing to the top of the ride, you’ll be sent on a wild ride overlooking much of the park-if you’re able to focus!!

From here, we go back and hit any rides that we want to do again or cover the ones that weren’t a top priority. We’ve squeezed in lunch and snacks when the crowds are lighter and then get back to it. The park hours at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure aren’t as late as the Disney parks but trust me you will have had a full day.

When you head back to your hotel, you can enjoy the pool/hot tub before heading to bed to hopefully do it all again! I hope that you got a sense of what’s needed to make the most of your trip. Have the best time!!

- Mike Ehrhardt

Denver, Colorado Springs & Vail

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.

Tootsie’s Bottom Line

Estes Park

  • Stanley Hotel: inspiration for The Shining-no filming here-Stephen King and wife were guests and he had a nightmare that inspired the movie. Worth a stop more because it’s an amazing hotel and the setting is breathtaking, association with “The Shining” makes it more interesting.
  • Rocky Mountain National Park-drive Trail Ridge Rd and visit Sprague Lake, look closely when driving-lots of wildlife can be seen grazing, resting, etc.

Colorado Springs:

  • Garden of the Gods: go for sunrise-this was a last minute change to our itinerary; it was breathtaking
  • Black Bear Diner: incredible breakfast-good, fresh food served by great and friendly staff

Red Rocks/Copper Mountain

  • Red Rocks Amphitheater-worth a stop-very cool place to see concert/movie-easy access
  • Copper Mountain-tube or ski here-make reservations in advance-enjoy driving through the small towns-Frisco and Breckenridge

Vail

  • Must try skiing or snowboarding in this world famous resort
  • Villages are nice and easy walks

Itinerary:

Listening: Tenderfoot TV’s podcast Up & Vanished Season 2 set in Crestone, CO

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday/Sunday:

We traveled to Denver for a long weekend, using a great, discounted fare from Atlanta. COVID restrictions were easing a bit, but things were tighter in Colorado, meaning masks everywhere. Landing in Denver, we used a downtown hotel as base camp for a couple of days. We arrived on a Wednesday night and stayed two nights at the Element Hotel in downtown Denver. The hotel had two queen size beds and a pull out sofa that gave us plenty of room for four. The next morning we were up early for a full day of sightseeing. I was anxious to see what Denver and the surrounding area had to offer us.

Estes Park, CO

I’ve wanted to go to Colorado since reading the Magic Tree House book, Ghost Town at Sundown. My family loves the beach, but my allegiance has always been torn. I love the beach and all it has to offer, but I also love to snowboard and have enjoyed trips to the Adirondack and Green Mountains.

Estes Park is known as the “gateway to the Rockies”. A small town near multiple entrances to Rocky Mountain National park, it has shopping, restaurants, and galleries along the town’s river walk. You can make a full day here and in the park. The drive from Denver is about 65 miles but took us a couple of hours mainly because there were so many places to stop and look at the incredible mountains. Probably not the best picture of us, but the sun was blinding.

Listening

My mom likes to listen to podcasts that are set in areas that we visit.  On this trip, we were listening to a series produced by Tenderfoot TV, “Up & Vanished-Season 2”, a series set in Crestone, CO about a missing person’s case, Kristal Reisinger. Kristal has been missing since July 13, 2016.  These series are amazing and hopefully, they’ll help solve some crimes!

Stanley Hotel

On our way to the park, we’d make a quick stop at the Stanley Hotel which was made world famous by the horror movie, “The Shining”. We watched it the night before in our hotel room! The hotel was around long before the Shining was filmed and is worth the time even if it’s only a short visit, as it was in our case. The Stanley Hotel opened its’ doors in 1909. One summer in the area caused inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley to fall in love and not only vow to return but to share this beautiful area with others.

When it opened, the Stanley Hotel rivaled any of the finest resorts in the North East and was equipped with telephones, electricity, private bathrooms and servants. Stanley also helped the town grow to support his guests. A one night stay by Stephen King inspired his best seller, The Shining, which was later made into a movie and TV mini-series. Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha, ended up at the hotel on the last night of the season due to bad weather. As the only guests in the hotel, their stay was a bit eerie and King had a nightmare. By checkout, he had largely planned what would become his third novel. The movie itself was filmed in a studio but the Stanley Hotel was the inspiration.

Rocky Mountain National Park

We used the primary entrance to Rocky Mountain which was a short drive from the Stanley Hotel. We used the Fall River entrance. The road is well paved and in early April, there was no snow on the lower portion of the road. We stayed on Trail Ridge Road as long as we could but the top portion was still closed due to weather. Fun fact,Trail Ridge Road is the highest paved road in the U.S. When forced to turn around, we drove through the park on Bear Lake Road. Along the way we saw elk and herds of deer, around every curve, another breathtaking view. We made our way to Sprague Lake where we parked and took a walk around the lake. The ice was beginning to melt on the lake and the setting was amazing. There is a small picnic area there as well.

Colorado Springs-Garden of the Gods

We planned to visit Garden of the Gods on Friday but our plans changed due to some last minute but valuable research. It was highly recommended that we be there for sunrise. With our base in Denver, this meant an EARLY start plus we needed to pack the car; we were changing hotels! We were on the road by 5:00 AM for the hour plus drive to Colorado Springs. We made our way to the overlook on Mesa Road. We waited here, along with a news crew, for the day to break and it was so worth it! Check the weather forecast-it was cold and windy. We were complaining a bit about the early start until the sun rose and lit up the rocks. It was worth the early alarm.

The park itself didn’t open until later so we feasted on breakfast at the Black Bear Diner after watching the sunrise! Our waitress was very friendly and the breakfast was big, homemade and delicious.

Kissing Camels

We returned to the park once it opened and went to the visitor’s center where we were given a detailed map and got a great overview of the park.  We parked across the street from the visitor’s center and walked a couple of short trails, but the wind was howling, and we had several more stops so we finished the park in the car-we did two loops around to make sure we got to see what we wanted.  Wish we had more time to spend here but we definitely weren’t dressed for the wind and cool morning temperatures.

 Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater

We were back in the car to start the trek to Frisco where we had afternoon reservations for tubing at Copper Mountain in Frisco, CO.  About halfway to Frisco, we saw signs for Red Rocks.  We were a little ahead of schedule so we took a detour to see the famous stadium and it was worth the stop; I would love to see anyone perform here. Very cool venue!  Red Rocks is a well known amphitheater. What I didn’t know is it is “the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world”.  

Tubing-Copper Mountain

From Red Rocks, we finished the second half of the trip to Copper Mountain.  Tubing was great!  The lanes were well maintained and fast. Surprised us, but masks were required even for outdoor activities.  Great “lift” to bring people and tubes to the top of the hill and max out the number of runs you get.  Had a great time here and so glad we made this a stop!  Final stop Vail, following a half hour drive.  We did a driving tour of Frisco and Breckenridge-both great towns that would have been nice to spend a little more time in. 

Vail

Arrived in Vail in late evening and was surprised to find that the restaurants were closed-hotel thought it was a combination of COVID and the season ending.  We stayed at the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa; it was about to undergo a major renovation right after we left and is now The Hythe.  The resort, setting and staff were amazing!  The heated pools and hot tubs outside were great and we were able to make s’mores at outside firepits.  My mom and sister used the services at the spa-my mom had a massage and sister had a facial.  They both said they loved it!

Vail Village

Vail is SMALL and research makes it sound bigger and more confusing than needed. The town of Vail and those with the foresight to recognize that this breathtaking area had so much potential, have created their own oasis. Vail Village and Lionshead are two similar alpine hamlets comprised of hotels, restaurants, and shops. The shopping consists of ski/outdoor shops, clothing, jewelry, and souvenirs shops. The two areas are about one mile apart and have some overlap in stores. The streets are cobblestone; this is an alpine getaway in every sense of the word. We stayed in Lionshead, closest to the Eagle Bahn Gondola.  We were signed up for lessons and equipment rentals as part of a package with Vail Sports.  It was a dream to just stroll over to the mountain and start the day (make time in advance to get reservations though).  No parking lots, shuttles or dragging all of the heavy equipment around.  The lessons gave some instruction, an overview of the mountain and ski package for the day. Package included the lesson, equipment rental and lift ticket. During the afternoon, we were free to ski wherever we wanted at the resort. Definitely spring skiing conditions. We met up for lunch at Garfinkel’s which was your typical American food-burgers, wings, salads.  We ended up ordering room service both nights because we got out of our room too late and missed the restaurants.  We did enjoy walking around the small villages in the evening.  This is a special place and I’m so glad we went, but if you’re not doing something active, I think you’ll get bored pretty quickly.

Denver-Union Station

Last but not least, we had time to visit one landmark in Denver, Union Station. As you’d imagine with a name like Union Station, this was a hub for train travel. First opened in 1880, it was the largest building in the West. Due to increased train travel, the building that had been rebuilt in 1894 following a fire, was torn down and its’ replacement opened in 1914. This time even bigger! By the 1950s when “Travel by Train” was added to the façade, train travel was already becoming antiquated. After decades of little or no use, it was purchased by the Union Station Alliance. Following a restoration, Union Station reopened in 2014. It is now the perfect blend of old and new. A hub for fine dining, shopping and home to the Crawford Hotel. Throughout the interior, there are nods to the past and you can’t help but feel like you’re stepping back in time when you walk through the doors. Make time for a stop here.

This was a fast and furious trip to the Denver area and I can’t wait to go back!

- Kelly Ehrhardt

Crabapple/Milton

We’re kicking off our “series” in our own backyard, Crabapple. Crabapple is a loosely defined area on the border of Roswell and Milton. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you pass the red roofed silos that served as grain storage for a local farm once owned by the Hughes family. Locals were so smart to preserve these silos and have even created a local park so visitors can see old photos and enjoy the silos up close. I’ve included some interesting links at the bottom of this post if you care to learn about some of the locals for whom the roads have been named. They include two major league baseball players!

We took a long walk up Crabapple Road, passed the silos and entered what is now called “downtown Milton”. City Hall, a small amphitheater and lots of shops and restaurants make up this tasteful area. There are beautiful neighborhoods behind the shops and many of the homes have those gorgeous front porch swings that I’ve always wanted.

We ate lunch at Nest Cafe. There is a second location in downtown Alpharetta-another neighborhood we’ll be visiting! The restaurant is charming and the menu has a lot to offer. We started with beignets which were fantastic-how can they be bad?! I had a made-to-order omelet that was good. Leah had a smoothie that she liked and my son and husband had breakfast sandwiches that we very tasty. My youngest daughter had the “Nest Salad”. I think this was the winner as it was covered with fruit, veggies and sunflower seeds.

There are lots of great boutiques as well. We wandered through stores selling home decor, clothing and art. I especially love the consignment store, Twisted Thread and it’s neighbor Indigo Home & Design.

Helpful Links:

Additional Information:

The area is filled with eateries. If you cannot find something to eat here, you’re not looking! There are cafes serving quick bites and fully-staffed restaurants. Some of my favorites include Vintage Pizzeria, Grand Champion BBQ (can’t speak for the meat, but the mac and cheese is killer) and my numbero uno, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails! We’ve been going to Milton’s since we moved to Roswell when none of this area was developed. Back then, it was Mr. John B’s and the restaurant was housed in the original home of John Broadwell who developed prize-winning Broadwell Big Boll cotton (aka Double-Jointed Cotton). Milton’s is pricey and, quite honestly, as a vegetarian, there aren’t a lot of options. However, the service is impeccable and the setting is second to none. Perhaps they’ll elaborate on their veggie options one day soon.

- Kelly Ehrhardt

Savannah & Jekyll Island, GA

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.

Tootsie’s Bottom Line:

Savannah: A gorgeous, historic city. It’s a must see although not for young kids-no glitz

  • Stay: Westin, Savannah Riverfront, reasonably priced, nice hotel with great service
  • Eat: Clary’s Café,  404 Abercorn St.
  • To Do: variety of tours, can’t recommend any single one but Savannah’s history is worth learning about
  • Reading: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil-MUST READ, see below

Jekyll Island: Sleepy barrier island; great beaches and escape from life

  • Stay: Residence Inn (178 S Beachview Dr) and Westin (110 Ocean Way)
    • Residence Inn: brand new hotel, the service was phenomenal; staff goes out of their way to make people feel welcome and eager to help any way possible
    • Westin: beautiful hotel; service average
  • Dolphin Tour: departs Historic Jekyll Wharf, had a fun tour with Captain Phillip, saw both dolphins and manatees

Savannah

Summer was passing quickly, and I realized that a variety of commitments would prevent us from taking a family vacation this year.  So, I stole a couple of days away with my girls for a quick trip to Savannah, GA and Jekyll Island, GA.

When I arrived in Atlanta over 20 years ago, I expected sweeping lawns, huge oak trees and large homes with oversized porches.  Oh, and palm trees.  Clearly, my knowledge of geography is abysmal.  Instead, I found a busy city that over 4 million people called home with a continuously running billboard showing how quickly the population was increasing! 

Shortly after moving South, we had some friends traveling to Savannah.  They asked that we meet them there and I had a required reading assignment, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I started the book but hadn’t come close to finishing when we went.  We made the four-hour drive to Savannah, and I fell in love.  This was the South I’d imagined.  My friend and I toured the city, devouring everything we could find that related to “The Book”.  “Midnight” by John Berendt was published in 1994 and called the New York Times bestsellers list home for 216 weeks!  The non-fiction novel follows a sophisticated antiques dealer as he stands trial for murder.  When I returned home, I read “The Book” (twice!).

I decided to share one of my favorite cities with my girls.  We arrived in Savannah, and it is still one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen.  This is the deep south where the pace is a little slower, the drawl a little longer, tea so sweet your spoon stands up in the glass and no one apologizes for enjoying a slower pace.  Who could blame them?  Savannah sits on the Savannah River and is home to 22 historic squares.  The squares are like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  Beautiful historic homes wrap the perimeter of each square with, what I would call, an urban garden in the center.  The squares have a line of sight in each direction, allowing for communication long before anyone heard of a phone.  You can walk on sidewalks right though the center of the squares or enjoy the longer route on the perimeter.  Sadly, several squares were torn down before their value was truly realized. 

We just stayed one night but enjoyed our time walking the squares, doing a little shopping and savoring a hugely different part of our beautiful state.  We stayed at the Westin Riverfront which is across the river from the historic district.  It can be reached by car or ferry (free).  The hotel is beautiful, and service was excellent.  Our room overlooked the water, and we enjoyed some time in the hot tub before sitting around a fire pit to make s’mores.  Only downside is that you’re not in the historic district the minute you walk out the door, but the view is very nice and access is easy.

We ate breakfast before leaving town at one of my favorites, Clary’s Café.  Clary’s is in “The Book” and I can assure you that despite having a steady flow of diners, they are not reinvesting much into the business.  The food is very good and portions are generous.  Mike took great care of us while we were there.  Clary’s opened in the 1930’s as a drugstore and soda fountain.  I’m guessing that Clary’s embraced the fame of “Midnight” and eliminated the drugstore to become a full service restaurant.  You can easily find it if you’re walking the squares; it sits between Calhoun and Lafayette Squares.  Great place!

Jekyll Island

Marriott Residence Inn, Jekyll Island

I made my first trip to Jekyll Island for our first Thanksgiving in Georgia.  What a gem!  If you are in fifth gear in Atlanta, you’re in second in Savannah and you’ll enjoy the gentle downshift to first when you arrive on Jekyll Island.  Jekyll is one of the barrier islands on the coast of Georgia; it’s about a 90 minute drive from Savannah.  As with so many places, its’ history is fascinating.  This was once a winter haven and hunting ground for wealthy Northerners.  In 1886 they established the Jekyll Island Club, it quickly became known as “the richest, most inaccessible club in the world”.  The members, which included J.P. Morgan, William K. Vanderbilt, Joseph Pulitzer and William Rockefeller, built large homes they called cottages and a country club to enjoy meals and sporting activities.  They built the charming “Faith Chapel” with the most beautiful stained glass windows, “David’s Window” by  Louis Tiffany and “The Adoration of the Christ Child” by Maitland and Helen Armstrong.  We did a tour of the property and I recalled what the guide told me 20+ years ago; “wiggle around in that pew, one-sixth of the world’s wealth sat in those seats at one time.  Maybe some will rub off on you”.  Fascinating that so few held so much and that they congregated on this small island! 

We checked out two Marriott hotels for our brief stay.  The first night was spent at the newly built Residence Inn.  They’d opened a few weeks prior and were eager to make our stay as enjoyable as possible.  We paid a pricey $400+ for one night but were traveling the week of July 4th.  The king suite had a bed, pull out sofa and full kitchen.  The hotel is ocean front with a pool, hot tub, fire pits and corn hole boards.  A short walk over the dunes puts you on a beautiful quiet beach.  Our stay included daily vouchers, $10 at the hotel market, $10 in food/beverage from the bar/restaurant, and free bikes for 4 hours for two people.

Lobby at the Westin, Jekyll Island

We spent the second night at the Westin just down the street.  We stayed in a double queen room for about $350.  Also ocean front, the lobby is beautiful and the hotel has a nice pool and hot tub.  Another short walk over a bridge and you find yourself on the same beautiful beach with lots of quiet.  No fighting for a place to sit on this island.  No free perks at this hotel just for staying, bikes are available for rent and food/drinks are available.

The island is flat so biking is relaxing.  We rode on the road and took a few trails through the woods.  It was flat, easy riding.  I often marvel at the courage of cyclists in the Atlanta area.  Nothing to fear here!

We enjoyed a 90 minute dolphin tour that started at the Historic Jekyll Wharf near the Jekyll Island Club. We were on Captain Phillip’s boat. The tour was very relaxing and we enjoyed watching dolphins, birds, and manatees! Our hosts were Captain Phillip and his wife and they are not only funny but shared some interesting history of the island and the creatures that make their home in these waters. Definitely worth giving it a try.

Food is somewhat limited although there are far more choices than the last time I was there.  We ate at Beach House Restaurant one night.  It’s a pretty simple place that includes a little of everything.  Nothing special; but we enjoyed wings and salad.  Lots of fresh local seafood here and we don’t eat any of it, so please ask for suggestions.

Jeklyll Island is a little-known treasure but very much worth the visit.  Enjoy the warm, salt air and the long exhale as you walk the quiet beach and take a step back in time.   

   

- Kelly Ehrhardt Leave a comment

Ponce City Market

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.

Tootsie’s Bottom Line:

A must see if you are visiting or live in the Atlanta area!! This is such a refreshing change from suburban life without the insane crowds that we so often assume will accompany a trip “downtown”. Make time to spend at least a few hours enjoying this great spot that offers so much.

A new landmark in an old landmark; Ponce City Market, is a shopping, dining and entertainment destination. The building was formerly home to the southeast headquarters of Sears, Roebuck & Co. and more recently City Hall East. In typical Atlanta form, history hovers in the background as 21st century living settles in.

History

Like many of my favorite places, Ponce City Market has lived many lives. In the early 1860’s Ponce de Leon Springs, as it was called, became an attraction because of the natural springs that were thought to cure aging. In the early 1900’s, the area continued to draw crowds when it became the Ponce de Leon amusement park affectionately known as “the Coney Island of Atlanta”. On the North side of Ponce sat a four acre lake that was filled in to build a baseball park that was home to the minor league baseball team, the Atlanta Crackers. The team played here until their move to Atlanta Stadium in 1965. In 1925, Sears Roebuck bought the space occupied by the Ponce de Leon Springs and built an 8 story building that served as a retail shop and distribution center until it closed in 1989. Imagine going shopping and watching a baseball game from inside the store! All possible for several decades right here at what is now Ponce City Market.

Getting There/Parking

Ponce City Market is a multiuse development, home to a “dining hall”, boutiques and residential space. Located at 675 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, in the Old Fourth Ward near Midtown and Poncey-Highland neighborhoods. It sits at the intersection of the Beltline and Ponce de Leon Avenue. Parking at Ponce City Market includes a large deck with direct access to the Central Hall.

Eating

The “Central Dining Hall” has something for everyone including a charming name for a food court with some eat-in restaurants. There is everything from drinks, entrees and desserts. We chose to grab lunch at H&F Burgers and eat at a table in the hall. I enjoyed the veggie burger, while my son and husband had the “Original H&F” . My youngest daughter had the Junior Cheeseburger. Of course, we had to sample the onion rings and fries. We all enjoyed our meals but didn’t feel like our burgers lived up to the reputation-good, not great. Regardless, the Central Hall was a fun place to enjoy a meal and choosing where you want to eat is not easy! You can find what PCM has to offer here.

Shopping

We made our way outside the Central Hall and enjoyed many of my favorite shops and some new ones as well. One of my favorite things about Atlanta is the weather. PCM takes full advantage of being able to enjoy shopping while getting some fresh air. Ponce is filled with stores and kiosks where you’re sure to find something you’ll love!

The ROOF

You need a ticket for this ride, but it’s worth it! Access to the roof is granted with a day or annual pass or a dining reservation. Enjoy cocktails while taking in some of the best views Atlanta has to offer. Restaurant dining is also available on the roof at 9 Mile Station. 12 Cocktail Bar claims to be “Atlanta’s most influential cocktail bar”. Don’t know about that, but it’s pretty cool and offers cocktail classes where you can create handmade cocktails while enjoying a view like none other in Atlanta. The pièce de résistance is Skyline Park which hosts amusement style games and rides. Your trip back in time will include games like skee ball, ring toss and derby races. There is something for everyone here but plan ahead, it gets crowded!

Sounds dorky but Ponce City Market hit all of the right notes. It was a unique outing with good food, great entertainment and a new discovery in our hometown! Certainly a must see if you’re visiting Atlanta and a perfect way to spend a day if you live here.

- Leah Ehrhardt

Fireside Chat at Biltmore Estate

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.

Biltmore Estate: a must see; Christmas season makes it even more special

Tootsie’s Bottom Line:

  • Cost: Candlelight tickets: $70-$90/per adult; $67-$75 daytime tickets
  • Such a unique home and grounds; it’s worth seeing anytime but Christmas is even better!

Tickets: Biltmore Estate

Hotel: Omni Grove Park Inn prices and specials vary significantly; check website for rates

Teeth chattering and hands nestled deeply in our coat pockets, my jaw dropped. I was overcome with awe as we arrived at the front of the Biltmore Estate. We decided to sneak away on a cold, January day to Asheville, North Carolina. While short, our stay would include an evening at the Biltmore Estate and an overnight at the Omni Grove Park Inn.

I had never been to the Biltmore Estate before; although my mom visited previously, she’d never had the opportunity to visit during the Christmas season. The experience didn’t disappoint! We entered the massive doors to a foyer illuminated by candlelight and filled with Christmas carols and poinsettias. We elected to do the audio tour which included interesting details of life as a Vanderbilt. My mom said it she always enjoyed visiting the estate but this was a completely different experience. The “house” is truly one-of-a-kind and must be seen to be believed. My mom said it’s our very own “Downton Abbey”

The Biltmore is an enormous house and we were able to see some of the primary living quarters for the family. The famous basement rooms are a must if you are visiting so you can see the kitchen, indoor pool, a “pre-health club” gym and bowling alley. Christmas takes on a truly special meaning in a house dressed to perfection with burning candles and live music to accompany your visit. The only downside with the night visit is that you cannot see the grounds. This is a must see!

Chilling wind waited for us as we stepped out of the Biltmore House. After a short drive to our hotel, we stepped back in time again. A valet helped us out of our car and a doorman opened the giant doors to welcome us into the lobby at the Omni Grove Park Inn. Sipping hot chocolate and rocking in front of the roaring fireplace, we reminisced about our day and what it would be like to live in a house like the Biltmore or be a regular guest at the Grove Park Inn. The hot chocolate (kids and adult version) were the relaxing end to a perfect day.

Walking around the Omni Grove Park Inn, we enjoyed the native ambiance. “The Marketplace” in the Grove Park Inn provided a tasty, quick bite in the morning. The “National Gingerbread Competition” that started here over 25 years ago was in its final days and seeing how food was transformed into art was so cool. The entries are truly remarkable! What a wonderful way to get into the spirit of Christmas (or stay in it) with a visit to the Omni Grove Park Inn and the Biltmore Estate!

- Kelly Ehrhardt

2020 Vision:

Oprah is on the move and she’s as good as you remember! I bought a ticket to the 2020 Vision tour for her stop in Atlanta. FYI, It’s a day-long event, a pretty important detail that was overlooked in the ticket information when I made my purchase!

Let me say, the ticket is well worth the money. 2020 Vision is a workshop dedicated to helping everyone create a plan to build a life in which the mind, body and spirit are in balance. Upon arrival, each seat held a goody bag with Oprah’s name. It had a workbook filled with exercises for the day. There were also some samples of products and a voucher for lunch. Nice touch!

The day was great! The morning session was filled with Oprah talking and sharing stories in a lecture format, as always though, she’s inspiring. The foundation for the day is identifying one word that will become your “2020 Vision”. She then takes you through supporting exercises with and without the workbook to help create the focus necessary to transform your “word” into your manifesto for 2020. During the afternoon session, she has a guest speaker and continues to share more about herself and how she ended up where she is. I’ve broken the day down into more detail below.

Great music greeted us when we arrived at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Shortly after 9:00, the day started with some dancing and motivational words provided by Daybreaker. Their goal: “to ignite all five senses and dance with reckless abandon, sober, first thing in the morning.” This lasted about an hour and got everyone out of their seat and fully engaged!

Around 10:00, Oprah took the stage. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard Oprah speak, and let me tell you, she’s exactly as you remember. Despite all of her fame and fortune she is still so relatable. She’s been away from the spotlight for years, and I’d forgotten just how great she is! She came out on stage, and it was just like the old days with her show. She was immediately at ease talking to me (and 12,000 other “me”s) like my best friend would. It’s amazing, really, how someone with so much brings it all back to the most basic thing that we all share, the human condition. We are a work in progress, and Oprah would be the first to say that she is too. This is a life long journey-one we are all on together, and we are better for sharing, learning from and helping each other.

A brief break during the morning session was a short meditation led by Jesse Isreal from The Big Quiet. He kicks off the session with some basic guidelines for the mediation and a reminder to be gentle with ourselves; this is a process! Pretty cool to sit with 12,000 people in near silence and a great way to refocus for the balance of the morning.

The session breaks for a lunch that’s included with your ticket. Following lunch, Julianne Hough comes on stage to get everyone out of their seats and moving again. By the time Oprah returns to the stage, everyone’s re-energized for the afternoon session. The afternoon is comprised of a guest speaker or Visionary, interviewed by Oprah and more sharing that’s geared to motivate even the least interested attendee! The guest speakers change with each location; Dwayne Johnson was the Atlanta guest. He shared stories about his life, how he’s dealing with the recent passing of his father and his secrets for success. A great interview, and of course, motivational!!

As great as Oprah is, at no time does she sugar-coat things and pretend that life isn’t hard. She calls out her own difficult times, both public and private, and shares deeply personal stories. Some I had heard, and some I hadn’t. You walk away knowing that she has worked hard both in her craft and in her soul to be where she is now. I highly recommend attending one of these, if you are able. There’s probably very little here that I haven’t heard at some point, yet there’s so much to be gained from having it consolidated into one day. Thanks, Oprah for giving me an excuse to dedicate a whole day to me (and ultimately the people in my life). It is something that I NEVER do.

- Kelly Ehrhardt

Take Care Of YOU!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.

Take Care/Of or simply Care/Of is a customizable vitamin supplier. They ask that you take a short quiz to identify areas of concern then recommend vitamins.

Tootsie’s Bottom Line:

  • Link to Main Page for Vitamins: Care/of
  • Link to Prenatal Vitamin Page: Quality prenatal vitamins at Care/of
  • Cost: About $35 for a 30-day supply of vitamins customized for you
  • Opinion: Really impressed with the vitamin combination I received. I have a ton of energy, sleeping great and overall feel fantastic!
  • Daily packets have your name and an “Interesting Fact”; recommended to be taken with a meal
  • Overall Impression: Incredible! Outstanding product design, presentation, ease of use and ability to adjust as needed
Brochure with details about daily vitamins

I am super excited to share this! I have to be honest though. While the vitamin world is intriguing, and I occasionally get jazzed about vitamins to supplement my diet with the right things, I’m inevitably overwhelmed by the offerings in the grocery/health food store or online. I found Care/of through a search for something a little more personalized for my needs and want to share my experience.

Please know that I am a sucker for great marketing, and these guys have it down! I’m sharing a bunch of pictures because I’m so impressed with the product that I received. They specialize in customizing vitamins for YOUR needs. In order to do that, you complete a quiz about your health issues, concerns, and goals. You’ll need to share your name, age, location, and email(of course).

Assessment asking what you’d like to get support for

When you go to the site, you’ll select the the things that you need the vitamins or powders to help with. See the screen shot above. For each of the areas that you pick, you’ll be asked a handful of questions for more specific information about your needs and goals. Once you complete the survey, you’ll be presented with recommendations along with a description of why those are being recommended.

I took advantage of an offer on the landing page to get my first month’s supply. In order to save some money, I only ordered the pills and decided to give that a try before diving in and doing the powders as well. I’d already been taking some of what was recommended, and some were totally new to me. They also offer free shipping over $20!

Daily vitamin pack

The package arrived about a week later, and I was blown away! They’ve created a compact container with the vitamins in biodegradable daily packages (how great is that?!?!) and a brochure explaining the benefits of each of the vitamins included and the recommended powders. Each vitamin pack has my name on the front and a cute daily phrase/fact.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking: packaging is great, but what are the results? Totally impressed! I have been taking my daily dose each morning for a couple of weeks and feel fantastic. My energy is great; I don’t have the afternoon slump that I’d indicated in my survey. As far as the impact of the other vitamins, well, I can’t see if they’re helping. What I can see and feel, I’m truly impressed with. To be honest, I didn’t think vitamins could really make a difference; I looked at them as a nice supplement to my diet. I’m going to stick with my current regimen, and if my needs change, I’ll retake the survey to make the necessary adjustments. Care of has really got something here!

Inside cover of brochure

Please be aware that this is a subscription service that you can cancel or pause at any time. If you don’t want the next month’s supply, you’ll need to go to your account and take the appropriate action (see below). Your quiz results are associated with your profile, so you can take a break if needed. To do this, go to Account Settings–>Your Plan–>Pause. You’ll be asked why you want to “pause”. If you choose cost, you’ll be offered the opportunity to reduce some of the recommended vitamins.

If you’re interested, be sure to sign up for the initial offer, and give this awesome product a try. I hope your experience is as great as mine has been! Let me know your thoughts once you’ve tried them!

- Kelly Ehrhardt

Larry Bird & Resorts?

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.

What do Larry Bird and the French Lick Resort have in common? They both call French Lick home! Having lived in Boston for a number of years, I was well aware of Larry Bird’s hometown. What I didn’t know is that long before Larry Bird walked into the Boston Garden, people were traveling to French Lick and West Baden, Indiana to visit resorts that share their names!

In 1845, naturally occurring sulfur springs inspired Dr. William Bowles to build the French Lick Springs Hotel and invited guests to experience the “miracle waters”. Seeing the success of the French Lick Resort, the West Baden Springs Hotel was built a few years later just one mile away. Another health resort touting the benefits of the springs. Wealthy socialites would travel up to 100 miles by train to stay at these resorts and enjoy casinos, spas, golf, etc. These resorts had it all! Al Capone is said to have enjoyed his time here and FDR announced his intention to run for president at a National Governors’ Conference at the French Lick Springs Hotel!

Currently, the French Lick Resort is comprised of both hotels, the French Lick Springs Hotel and the West Baden Springs Hotel. The town is so charming and the hotels have been beautifully restored. They remind me a bit of the Biltmore Estate and the incredibly luxury that the wealthy enjoyed. They give you glimpse into the life of America’s socialites in the roaring 20s.

I’ve included links below to great articles about the history of both hotels. They include great pictures from when these hotels were in their infancy and today. If those walls could talk……

Larry Bird’s childhood home

It is always inspirational to see where people started. Larry Bird’s roots are modest. No fancy cars or houses. Plain and simple-talent and hard work. From what I’ve read, his childhood wasn’t easy but he certainly made the most of it. We made a quick photo stop outside his house-wonder how many times a day that happens?!

- Kelly Ehrhardt

A Night At Avalon

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.

Tootsie’s Bottom Line

  • Marriott Avalon: prices vary widely-rooms: standard with 2 queens or 1 king; some larger rooms available. Very elegant hotel for a reasonable price. Parking: self-park $10/day; valet: $15/day
  • Branch and Barrel: $15+, open for lunch and dinner. Cozy interior; it has potential but our meals were average, at best
  • Goldbergs: serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; we had a delicious breakfast. Great bagels!
The Hotel at Avalon lobby

Avalon in Alpharetta is one of my favorite places to shop, eat and just be. We decided to make a night of it and eat, shop, and stay! I booked a room at the Hotel at Avalon; it’s one of the Autograph Collection in the Marriott chain.

Standard room with 2 queen beds

Walking into the lobby felt like walking into a hotel in Beverly Hills. The entrance is stunning! The concierge desk is tucked into the back so you are greeted by a beautiful sitting area that adjoins the in-house restaurant, South City Kitchen. There’s a large fireplace in the lobby and lots of comfortable seating. The lobby is filled with the smell of whatever is cooking at South City Kitchen and it smells delicious!! We need to eat here soon!

I made the reservation last minute and was able to get a larger than standard room with two queen beds for the same cost as the standard room! We were given rooms on the 12th floor that overlooked the parking deck and highway outside. Not ideal, but from the 12th floor it was still a pretty view. The room itself was beautiful. The bathroom is spacious with good counter space for storing things and getting ready. Really nice hotel in a great location!

It was a rainy night-not the best time to be at an outdoor venue but we were going to make the most of it. We chose to eat at Branch and Barrel. Even in bad weather, Avalon’s restaurants are jamming. Strangely, at 6:00 on a Saturday night, the restaurant was only half full. This was strange to me since the restaurant is charming inside and the food smelled great.

We ordered a variety of food for dinner. We had the Crispy Salt and Vinegar Brussel Sprouts to start. They sounded delicious, but after a few, the saltiness was overwhelming, and they were left unfinished. My son ordered the Braised Beef Brisket entree with mac and cheese and green beans. According to him, this was basically pot roast with gravy. My husband had the Braised Brisket Sandwich which fell flat and also tasted like pot roast. My daughter ordered mac and cheese off the kids menu that (even after she salted it three times) tasted like a creamy, bland pasta sauce. I ordered a house salad with ranch. The salad was simple but tasty. Unfortunately, after eating it, I noticed two hairs on the plate. We told the waiter who, of course, comped the salad. That ruined the best thing on the table! Plain and simple, this was a bust for us!

We tried Goldbergs for breakfast. They have a wide variety of food from breakfast to salad to sandwiches and burgers. My son ordered a bacon and egg breakfast sandwich from a specials list that was a sandwich made with french toast. He devoured it! My daughter and husband had breakfast plates with eggs and a choice of meat. Both were very happy with the food. I loved my made to order omelet and bagel. Good, solid food. We’ll be back!

The Hotel at Avalon entrance

Marriott Credit Card: Benefits I enjoy: Because I’ve accumulated a good number of points, I get a complimentary room upgrade, when available. With this reservation, the nicest room was priced at the same rate as the smaller room so there wasn’t an upgrade available. When this happens, you either receive additional points or a food voucher. The food voucher at Avalon is for South City Kitchen. We weren’t able to use the food voucher, so I took the points!

Marriott Credit Card Information: I don’t use any credit cards that don’t give me something in return. The Marriott Visa that I carry gives me a free night stay in a hotel every year worth 25,000 points. That pretty much offsets the annual fee. In addition, you get 6 points for every $1.00 that you spend in a Marriott. We don’t travel a lot but try to stick to the Marriott brand when we can.