From Stadiums to the Sea

Jul 21

Dollywood and Splash Country

Jul 21

Dollywood and Splash Country are located side by side in the beautiful Tennessee mountains. Though the parks are clean and well maintained, they are both small and somewhat disappointing. Dollywood Theme Park is like a large fair with shops and carnival games but only has a handful of thrill rides. My teenage nieces, who have been to Cedar Point and are season pass holders to Busch Gardens, actually described it as kind of boring with not enough roller coasters. Similarly, Splash Country is the smallest water park we have ever been to with only a few big rides.

(For a detailed review of Dollywood’s Dream More Resort, click here.)

Jul 18

Dollywood’s Dream More Resort

Jul 18

Staying at Dollywood’s Dream More Resort makes visiting the theme parks easier and more fun. You get a few perks such as a trolley that takes you to and from the parks and free fast passes to Dollywood (for a detailed review of Dollywood and Splash Country, click here). The resort is only one year old and is absolutely gorgeous. It is nested in the Tennessee mountains and is decorated in a serene color palette with hints of Dolly Parton throughout. The outdoor area with a pool, fire pits, and lots of seating is a great place to spend some time and there’s also a gym and arcade. The Dream More Resort is a wonderful place to stay but it is expensive and the nickel and diming was frustrating and the customer service throughout the resort was abysmal. Also worth noting it that there was a complete lack of diversity at the resort or as my teenage nieces put it, “We are the only brown ones here and people keep staring at us.” Despite these annoyances, staying at Dollywood was a nice experience.

Jun 14

Beau Rivage Resort and Casino

Jun 14

Beau Rivage is located in Biloxi, MS and is so attractive it puts some of the casinos on the Las Vegas strip to shame. Even though it opened in 2006, it appears brand new and the casino floor is reminiscent of the lovely Bellagio is Las Vegas.

Jan 11

Dealey Plaza and Museum

Jan 11

No matter which direction you approach the Dealey Plaza Museum, there are parking lots on both sides of the building. In the picture below, Dealey Plaza museum is the orangey brown building ahead on the right. When parking, remember the number of the space you park in because when you pay the parking machine, you need to enter in that number. We only paid $4 for parking since we were only there for 2 hours.

Jan 11

Hilton Fort Worth

Jan 11

Hilton Forth Worth, formerly the Hotel Texas, is where President Kennedy spent the last night of his life. The next morning he gave a speech in the parking lot followed by another speech in the Crystal Ballroom before making the short flight to Dallas where he would be assassinated.

Dec 03

Tender Steak & Seafood – Luxor

Dec 03

Luxor isn’t one of the high-end casinos on the strip (it’s actually one of the low-cost hotels), but the steakhouse there was surprisingly good. It’s not quite up to the level of my favorite Vegas steakhouse (that would be Craftsteak at MGM), but I would definitely visit again.

Nov 08

AT&T Stadium – Dallas, TX

Nov 08

My brother and I visited AT&T Stadium to watch our Philadelphia Eagles take on the home team Dallas Cowboys. I’ll start by saying the stadium is quite amazing. It’s one of the largest stadiums in the NFL (it has the capacity to expand to more than 100,000 seats which would make it the largest). It’s visually imposing as you approach it and it could be overwhelming as you enter.

Mar 10

Disney Dream Cruise Palo Brunch

Mar 10

Most people will tell you that Palo Brunch offers an array of fabulous food and this is most likely true if you consider yourself a foodie. If you are a non-foodie like my husband and I, Palo Brunch will not be a satisfying experience. Further more, if you have severe IBS like me and/or are an extremely picky texture eater like my husband, you’ll find that there won’t be much for you to eat.

Mar 10

Disney Dream Cruise Rainforest Spa

Mar 10

Spending some time at the Rainforest Spa is an excellent way to indulge in a little relaxation while on board. The first day of your cruise is the best time to take a tour of Senses Spa & Salon which includes a look inside all the treatment rooms, the Rainforest Spa, the Quiet Room, and lockers rooms. It’s best to purchase your tickets to the Rainforest Spa following your tour since only a certain amount are sold each day. A single day pass is $16 or multiple day passes are available. You can come and go as often as you like on the day that you buy tickets. Adjacent to the Spa’s front desk is this serene seating area with a gorgeous view of the ocean.

Dec 05

Cravings Buffet – The Mirage

Dec 05

This has become our favorite Las Vegas buffet not only because it is located in our favorite hotel on the strip, but also because there is such a wide variety of fresh and tasty food. It has enough options for my picky, texture-eater husband who has an infinite list of things he will NOT eat, and enough options for me who has severe IBS.

Dollywood and Splash Country

Dollywood’s Dream More Resort

Beau Rivage Resort and Casino

Dealey Plaza and Museum

Hilton Fort Worth

Tender Steak & Seafood – Luxor

AT&T Stadium – Dallas, TX

Disney Dream Cruise Palo Brunch

Disney Dream Cruise Rainforest Spa

Cravings Buffet – The Mirage

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