Liz Hough, Author at LiBT Agents ONLY site

Have you learned this lesson from traveling?

Do you know the number 1 lesson learned when traveling?

Here it is….

Despite all of the things that have happened around the world in 2017, traveling in 2018 is still booming. Why? Because those who love to travel will always travel and they have learned an important lesson when they travel. The lesson is that there are kind and amazing people everywhere you go. I have traveled to third world countries, and despite some of the things that had or were going on there, I never felt in danger. I had kind people surrounding me and wanting to show me what their culture was all about. Whether they were preserving thousand year wooden churches that the entire town still went to every Sunday or the legends that surrounded their region, I never felt in danger. Most of the time they would thank me for visiting for their town. Actually seeing a country and their culture, not what the news outlets make them out to be, is why traveling is a learning experience for me.

So where will your learning experience be in 2019? Here are some tips to help you decided where you want to travel in 2019:

Tip #1: Distance. It really does depend on how far you are willing to travel. Maybe you just took a vacation in 2018 that required several flight changes, and/or several hours on a plane, and you are still recovering. That’s fine. Pick an amount of time that you are willing to travel via plane or car, and look at the places that are in that time frame or distance from origin.

Tip #2: Budget. This is a tough question to ask yourself sometimes but figure out how much you willing to spend on a vacation or your budget for all of your vacations for 2019. Once you have a budget set then you can start to figuring out tip #3.

Tip #3: Ask yourself what type of vacation to you want to take. Are you in the mood for an organized motorcoach tour? Or maybe this is the year of the river cruise? How about finally staying at one of the Deluxe Hotels in Walt Disney World and taking a Disney behind the scenes tours? Figure out what you want out of your vacation.

Tip #4: Gathering the troops! Group travel is so much fun and most of the time when you are traveling as a group, the group comes up with where to go. Maybe the answer of where to travel in 2019 lies with the troops, so set a dinner date and start discussing tips 1 through 3.

Tip #5: Want vs. Need. There are times when we “need” to travel, i.e. work or a family thing, but make sure that you plan a vacation that you “want” to take. It is not fun when you have planned a vacation and you are on the fence about taking it. If, or when, things go wrong on the vacation then you are more likely to tell yourself that you shouldn’t have taken that vacation in the first place. So make sure you “want” and are very excited about your vacation that all of your friends and family know too!

January is a great time to start asking yourself these questions. Planning earlier in the year allows you to cross it off your list of things to do in 2019 and guarantees that you get a spot on that motorcoach tour or river cruise or behind the scenes tour at Disney! Let’s start planning together!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation. Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs.

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Forget shopping…You have to do this instead.

Liz Hough on

Once the Christmas shopping is over, you have to check out these amazing activities only going on during the holidays…

There is so much going on around the holidays that it is hard to think of going anywhere or getting anything else done beside holiday related errands. We want to make sure we have purchased all the gifts we need and survive the holidays. Once you have done all of this, you are exhausted and it is January already. I don’t want you to miss out on all the fun activities there are to do during this time of year. Holiday lights, holiday decorated museums, and Christmas Markets to name a few! There is so much going on right in your own backyard you may not even know it. So this weekend give yourself a break, and checkout something amazing going on in your neighborhood.

Pennsylvania has a lot of amusement parks and they are great during the warmer months but did you know that they are open this time of year too? Yes, that is right. You can ride a rollercoaster in 30 degree weather while taking in the holiday light display. Amusement parks set up a holiday light display in the park where you can stroll around the park and just take in the lights. These light displays are as good, if not better, than some of the light displays that you drive or walk through. There are lights in trees, bushes, floating above you, Christmas trees that are 3 stories tall, and interactive displays. And of course all of the characters in the park are dressed in their holiday outfits. Some parks even have a musical lights extravaganza several times throughout the night, where the lights are synced with music. If you have never seen a musical lights extravaganza it is really fun to watch and they never disappoint.

Now each park is different, but they may also open a few select rides. Some parks will only open their children rides but others will have some of your favorite rollercoasters open. Riding your favorite rollercoaster in 30 degree weather is a new experience that you may only want to do once that night, but at least you can say that you did it. Since the parks only open a select amount of rides, the lines for these rides can become very long, especially later in the night. Getting to the park as soon as it opens is always a good idea. You still have some daylight and you can get on all the rides quickly. Later in the night when the park starts to get crowded you can enjoy the light displays. I would recommend checking out the amusement park’s website to see which rides are open before you go.

While you are checking the website, make sure to see if you can get discount pricing online. Some parks have advanced ticket sales online where you can get an extra discount when you purchase online. Tickets at the booth aren’t typically too expensive. Tickets are usually a third of the price of a regular park ticket during normal season. This isn’t a bad deal for all you are getting. Most parks open around dusk, so this isn’t an all-day activity. They also don’t stay open too late as it can get really cold outside. You get a few hours to see several amazing light displays and get on rides, so this is why it is important to get there before the lines get too long. You want to enjoy everything.

Museums are another great way to take in some holiday fun but this activity has you staying warm. Some of the local museums have decorated their exhibits in holiday spirit or even have a temporary holiday exhibit. One of our local museums here in Pittsburgh brings in several towering Colorado Spruce trees and decorates them with hand decorated ornaments. This has become quite a tradition as they have been doing this since 1957, and it always gathers a large crowd. Our local conservatory has a train exhibit set up and this year’s theme is Fairy Tales. Not only do the kids get to enjoy the train set but some of their storybook favorites are around too.

There is so much to see and do around the holidays and most exhibits come down right after Christmas. So this holiday season, make sure to slow down a bit and take in some of the great holiday spirit right in your own back yard. We hope your holidays are out of this world!

I love this travel gadget! Find out why….

Liz Hough on

By the end of this article you will want a portable charger,

here is why…

If a store has a travel section, you will find me in it. Usually in the luggage section there is a small kiosk of travel gadgets. This is the section where I rummage through what new device or gadget is going to make it easier for me to travel. Some work, and some are complete failures. I always have to share with you the ones that I absolutely love and do make it easier for me to travel. So here is my latest favorite travel gadget find….the portable smart device charger!

If you already have one of these portable charges then you know how much easier your life is when your phone is on its last bar of battery. You plug in your phone and go. Your phone is charging while you are shopping, sitting in the airport, or even on the plane. It is that easy. No more stalking for an outlet at the airport to charge your phone, smart device, or even laptop. Portable chargers are the best thing to have with you no matter where you are traveling to and everyday life.

Most portable chargers are the size of a wallet or a small tube that easily fits into your back pocket or even your smallest purse. Depending on the manufacturer of the charger you can choose from various colors or patterns. The best part of portable charges is that they are compatible with most smart devices because they have a USB port so you can take any charger that has a USB adapter and plug it into the charger and charge your device. Some chargers have enough power to charge your phone to 100% then you will have to recharge it, but some haven enough power to charge a phone and a tablet in one charge.

Even though I said this is my latest travel gadget find, I really bought one last Christmas in the travel section at Marshalls. When I brought it home, my husband rolled his eyes at me and said you really can plug your phone in anywhere we go. Yes, this is true. You can plug your phone in anywhere you go, but you are tied down to where it is plugged in. On our trip in April, I thought to myself that I am going to bring it along, just in case. Sometimes, when my phone is roaming for a long period of time it drains my battery faster than it takes time to charge it. So as we are walking around the Bahamas, I hear that dreaded, Beep, Beep. Yup, my phone only had 10% battery life left so I plugged it into my portable charge, put it in my purse and did some sight-seeing. After an hour, I was up to 80% battery life and the portable charger still had three out of four bars left of battery life. My husband couldn’t believe it. Needless to say, anytime we go to an amusement park, museum, or any day trip my husband asks me if I have the portable charger with us. It really is so convenient and easy to use, and its size makes it so easy to take with you.

So next time you are in the store, check out the travel section and see what gadgets will make your life easier to travel. If you have one you like or love, feel free to email us back and let us know what your favorite ones are so we can share with everyone.

Is the World of Coca Cola worth a visit?

Liz Hough on

Pepsi Lovers Feel No Love in Atlanta

So if you read my previous post, then you know our adventures to the Georgia Aquarium exceeded our expectations. Seeing four whale sharks float above was one of the best experiences that I have had in a while and seeing the kids’ faces light up with excitement was even better. Having had this breathtaking experience we were ready to see what else downtown Atlanta had to offer. Next up was Zoo Atlanta, which is a bit south of the city. It is not within walking distance of the city center, so make sure you find some type of transportation to get there. After handing over our vouchers using the CityPASS®, we were in.

Zoo Atlanta boasts that it has been around since the late 1800’s. After walking around the zoo there are definitely some parts that I believe to be original and give it that old world character. The zoo is made up of four areas: African Plains, African Rainforest, Asian Forest, and the Kids Zone. They have many amazing animals including lions, elephants, and Gorillas, but the one animal that I was most excited about seeing was the giant panda. There are a few zoos in the whole United States that actually house these beautiful creatures. Despite them being called “giant” they aren’t much larger than a small brown bear. Zoo Atlanta had four of these guys playing around and eating bamboo. Our toddler’s favorite part of the zoo was the naked mole rats. Yes, rats. They have an indoor exhibit housing just these little guys, and they have it set up to really educate you on how they live. However, they are small, naked rats running around burrowed out holes so it did make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

The kid’s zone at the zoo was very large and had a lot of great activities to keep the kids occupied for several hours. There was a zoo animal themed carousel, train, climbing wall, canopy center with large slide, and an extremely large play land with unique playground activities. They also have a petting zoo area with goats and pigs but, thankfully, it was closed that day. Animals can be unpredictable and I am always cautious about letting my little ones get too close to something that is three times their body weight. With our voucher from the CityPASS® we received a bracelet for endless rides and climbs. This worked out great for us as we rode the train four times and the carousel twice. Each ride is around $3/person/ride, so it was pleasant surprise to have this included in our admission with our CityPASS® voucher.

When visiting Atlanta if you are not familiar with the drink Coca Cola, you will definitely be by the end of your time there. Coca Cola has their main headquarters in Atlanta along with a tourist attraction showcasing all things Coca Cola called the World of Coca Cola. They have everything to see from old Coca Cola vending machines, to the various looks of the Coca Cola products, and a secret vault containing information on how Coca Cola came about. They do a good job of crowd control as they have a short 10 minute presentation welcoming you and then you enter into a movie theater where they show a short movie about how Coca Cola brings the world together. Once you are through these two areas you are then free to roam the various exhibits. There is even an area where you can get your picture taken with Bear, the Coca Cola mascot.

There are several exhibits at the World of Coca Cola that I found to be quite different than what I had expected. They had a 4D movie about a scientist trying to figure out the secret formula of Coca Cola while being transported all over the world. I have been to 4D movies before but this was the first time where the seats actually moved. I don’t recommend this for someone with back or neck problems, but the kids found it fun. They also liked the taste station. This is an area that is broken up into continents where you can taste the various Coca Cola products available in certain countries. Greece had a pineapple flavor soda that was quite refreshing but my favorite soda was from Tanzania called Stoney Ginger Beer. It was very light and left a nice after taste of ginger in your mouth. It also did not have a lot of sugar so I didn’t get that sugary build up on the back of my tongue like I do when I drink ginger ale. It was a lot of fun going around to see how different continents like certain flavors. South American countries really like a sweeter fruit based drink while African countries like more ginger and lighter flavors. Something to definitely look forward to when you visit there!

One of the most interesting, and extremely innovated things at the World of Coca Cola was the cell phone or smart device charging stations located throughout the building. It was a booth shaped like a Coca Cola Bottle with various slots to put your phone or smart device into. All you had to do was swipe one of your credit cards and enter a pin number. An empty box would be selected and you simply put your phone into the box and attach it to the charger. Once you have closed the box it locks. You are now free to walk around and your phone is charging. Once you are ready for your phone you go back to the box and swipe your credit card, put in your pin number and your box opens. This is a completely free service that Coca Cola offers to you even though you use a credit card as your key card.

Last on our places to visit was the Fernbank Natural History museum which is located south of Atlanta. It is located in a very nice, scenic neighborhood where we saw Owen Wilson and Ed Helms shooting a movie (How awesome is that?!?). When you pull up to the museum you are welcomed by several statues of dinosaurs. Inside they have several more dinosaurs in the main atrium and in an exhibit, which the kids absolutely loved. With our CityPASS® voucher we were given access to an IMAX movie, so our oldest decided they wanted to see the polar bears movie.

After the movie we walked around to the various exhibits including an Egyptian Queen’s belongings but the kids really enjoyed NatureQuest the most. This indoor play and learning area for kids of all ages allowed kids to build walls with blocks, look at bugs under microscopes, find fossils hidden in the walls, and walk across and plank bridge. There was so much for them to do in this area that we stayed here for a few hours. The Fernbank really has something for everyone and is a great place for multi-generational families to have some fun together.

I have to say, I was very surprised how much I enjoyed my downtown stay in Atlanta. We didn’t have a bad experience once and all of the activities that there were to keep the kids busy and entertained kept this mommy happy!

Have you been to Atlanta lately?

Liz Hough on

I have and here is why you need to go…

We recently took the whole family on a two week adventure. Traveling with two little ones can give anyone anxiety let alone having to take multiple flights into different cities over a 12 day period. Again, we were that family on the plane who were complimented on how well our children behaved and I am so thankful to have such sweet angels. However, getting them up at 3am is not their favorite thing and by the time 3pm rolls around they were exhausted, screaming, and ready to take a nap.

The first leg of our trip was to Atlanta, Georgia. I have been to the Atlanta area several times for work but I have never actually stayed downtown and enjoyed the sites of downtown Atlanta. We stayed at the Georgian Terrace hotel which is a few blocks from great restaurants and shopping, but just out of walking distance. When you walk into the lobby of the hotel you are taken back to a time when this hotel was considered first class for the Rockefellers and Jones. The hotel’s opulence clearly comes out with its white marble columns and stairways. They still have the old lantern light fixtures but updated them to have electricity. I really felt like I was transported back in time to the early 1900’s when the hotel was first built. Another great feature of the hotel is their panoramic view of downtown Atlanta from the roof top pool. We decided to visit during sunset and the view was breathtaking. They also had a restaurant and bar in the hotel and a full service fitness area.

We opted for a two-bedroom suite. Even though there were many great amenities in our room like the full washer and dryer and kitchen, the furniture was a bit out dated. They also did not provide any silverware or utensils for the kitchen which made it difficult to eat our late night dessert. It should be noted though that they were starting to renovate all of the rooms on our floor on the day we checked out, so maybe the furniture will be better and the kitchen will be fully stocked soon. The kids had plenty of space to run around but I must warn you, if you have little ones and are staying on a higher floor, you must watch them by the elevators. The railings are wide enough for a toddler to get through and there is no glass or paneling to prevent this from happening. Overall, the hotel was quite nice but I would prefer to stay in a hotel where restaurants and shopping were within walking distance.

Since we have never enjoyed the sites of Atlanta, we decided to buy the CityPASS®. A CityPASS® is a booklet of tickets for various attractions in the city you are visiting for one low price.

There are several major cities in the US who participate including New York City, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco to name a few. The CityPASS® includes admission to some of the most popular attractions in those cities. For Atlanta, it included admission to the Georgia Aquarium, The World of Coca Cola, the Atlanta Zoo, Inside CNN studio tour, Fernbank Natural History Museum, College Football Hall of Fame and the Center for Civil and Human Rights. Some vouchers make you choose admission to one of two places, but if you decided that you wanted to visit both places in the back of the booklet they give you a discount on admission to the other place. It really is a good deal for anyone who is visiting one of the CityPASS® cities and plans on seeing the places in the booklet. The booklet expires 9 days from initial use.

Our agency has access to sell CityPASS® and so we decided to purchase them for the whole family. This was our first time purchasing a CityPASS® but knowing that we were going to see many of the attractions that were included in the pass, we decided it was a great deal. How the CityPASS® works is that you purchase it online or, if available, at one of the locations, and they provide you with a booklet of admission tickets or vouchers. Note that the admission tickets must be intact to be valid. Once you have your booklet you simply go to any of the locations and hand your booklet to the person at the admissions counter. They take out their voucher and you’re done. I found the CityPASS® extremely easy to use and there were even some perks in having the book, like the IMAX presentation that was included in our admission to the Fernbank Natural History Museum. I would highly recommend the CityPASS® if you are heading to a city that uses it.

Our first stop was to the Georgia Aquarium. As a fan of the Travel Channel, I had seen the Georgia Aquarium on there as one of the best aquariums to visit in the world. Having lived near the Baltimore Aquarium for many years, I didn’t believe that there was another aquarium as big or as fascinating. I was wrong! The Georgia Aquarium had so much to see and do. They have some animals that I have never seen in an aquarium or zoo before such as the Beluga Whale and the Whale Shark! They housed the largest tank that I have ever seen, which currently holds four Whale Sharks and many other fish and sharks. If you are a certified diver or a good swimmer you can go into the tank with the Whale Sharks and swim with them. This experience is an extra charge. The aquarium offers several interactive animal experiences as part of their behind the scenes tours and some of them are very reasonable priced. If you are looking for something fun to give as a gift, I highly recommend checking out these tours.

There was plenty of activities to keep the kids busy. They have a 4D short film with their mascot Deepo about conserving our oceans and an interactive talk with Deepo where kids can ask him questions in real time. They have a Dolphin show, and also there are several employees on hand to answer questions and tell fun facts about the animals. I was so excited to see my favorite sea creatures of all time, the Sea Dragon. They are very rare and I had seen a moving exhibit of them at the Baltimore Aquarium many years ago. They are very relaxing to watch as they almost seem to be dancing in the water rather than swimming. The whole family really enjoyed the aquarium and there are several activities and exhibits to keep anyone occupied for a few hours.

More to come next week on whether or not it is worth it to go to the World of Coca Cola.

Has TSA searched your luggage lately?

Liz Hough on

Has your checked luggage ever been searched by TSA?

Mine has, and now I have a whole new perspective on how to protect myself.

After returning home from my last flight trip I opened my luggage to a friendly letter saying that my suitcase was searched by TSA. I was part of the random search of suitcases that TSA does on those bags that get checked and placed under the airplane. I have to say this was the first time that my suitcase was searched and I kind of wonder if it was because of all the baby stuff I packed in there. Baby bottles, food, and cereal probably do look suspicious in an x-ray machine.

After reading several articles and seeing several news outlets talking about TSA agents getting fired for stealing people’s items from their suitcases, I was a bit concerned that something was missing. After a thorough inspection of my suitcase I was thankful that everything was there. But this experience had me thinking not just about these corrupt TSA agents but those swipe your suitcase at the luggage carousel. The luggage carousels are very easy to get to and people don’t need a plane ticket to get in this area. They just come in right off the street, take a bag, and get back in their car or go to the bathroom and rummage through the suitcase. I read about one guy who took five suitcases in one day! This is a bit scary.

So how do you make sure that your suitcase isn’t one of the unlucky ones to get inspected by TSA or swiped off the luggage carousel? Unfortunately, nothing is 100% full proof but here are some tips on how to make sure you don’t lose any valuable stuff.

Tip #1: Don’t pack anything valuable in the suitcase you are going to check. You can purchase a piece of carry-on luggage surprisingly large enough to fit a lot of your valuable stuff. What is valuable to you is relative, but for most people it is their electronics, jewelry, souvenirs, camera, wallet or anything they feel personally connected to.

Tip #2: Buy a luggage lock. Don’t buy the cheapest lock on the market. There are a lot of TSA approved locks available at department stores, Amazon, etc. These locks allow TSA to easily open the lock without having to know your combination. If you don’t have a TSA approved lock and they want to inspect your bag, they will just cut it off. Now you don’t have a lock for your luggage for the rest of your trip. Having a lock does not deter TSA from inspecting your bag, as it happened to me. However, it will deter someone from swiping your bag. Think of the guy who took the bags into the bathroom. Do you think he was going to cut locks off of bags while people were coming in and out? Probably not, he was targeting bags he could easily open.

Tip #3: Black, black, black! Orange is the new black! Having a black suitcase has some advantages like you don’t see all the scuff marks from rough handling but everyone has one. When you’re watching suitcases come off the carousel and you see a black one you automatically think it is yours and then it’s not. Black is so common that it is easy to mistake or swipe. Think of poor Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents. Even the airline mistook his BLACK suitcase and when his future father in law went through his bag he found some “interesting stuff” it lead to some embarrassing moments. Go out of the norm and pick a color that will stand out. This way you can easily spot it coming off the carousel or even worse, someone walking away with it.

Tip #4: I am not going to advocate trip insurance now, but if you have purchased it they give you identification tags to put into your luggage. This tag is usually printed out from your own computer or your travel agent should be providing it to you, but place this in your luggage. This tag has your information on it so that if your luggage gets lost or swiped and someone finds it, they know how to reach you through your insurance company. This also helps the airline if they lose your luggage.

Tip #5: Luggage tags. There are so many luggage tags on the market today. Bright colors, fancy logos, various shapes, large and small, etc. I highly recommend also putting a luggage tag on your suitcase that will help you spot it. I give all of my clients luggage spotters to put on their suitcases. It wraps around the handle, is padded, and they can put their information on the inside. I usually place their extra trip insurance card in the sleeve just in case. Try to get something sturdy as your bags does get thrown around a lot on its way to and from the airplane. I have lost many luggage tags in my day.

Having TSA search your luggage can happen to anyone but you can avoid them taking anything of value from you.

How to bring back those amazing souvenirs!

Liz Hough on

This happens to me every time I go on vacation – I buy too many souvenirs! When we travel I love to find unique souvenirs. My favorite type of souvenir are the ones that are conversation starters. When people first come to our house they are surprised by all the pieces of art on our walls and even the crystal lady with a basket on our shelf. They ask us where we got these amazing pieces and it easily leads into a conversation about one of our many amazing journeys.

Since buying souvenirs is a part of traveling, why don’t we ever plan on how to bring them back? We always pack way too much into our suitcases in fear that wherever we travel they won’t have something we may need. This means we always end up over packing. Over the years, I have perfected the amount of clothes I bring on any vacation because I am guilty of the “I may never be here again so I just have to get it” syndrome. I am here to tell you that this syndrome is a perfect trait to possess because it is true, you may never be there again. You don’t want to get home and have any regrets about not getting that piece of pottery in Italy or that crystal figurine in Hungary. I purchased them, and I love using my ceramic octopus plate and staring at my small crystal umbrella toting figurine. It brings me happiness and it floods me with the memories of those places.

But how did I get them back? There are two ways I bring back souvenirs. One way is by mail. Every country in this world receives mail. Most places where you buy your souvenirs, especially the higher end stores have shipping options for you. Now make sure you weigh your options. If you buy the pottery for $100 but it costs $300 to ship, then your answer should be no. Shipping to the United States is expensive, due to the various taxes and fees, and port charges. The store may also inflate the price of shipping too. You don’t want to pay a couple hundred dollars for shipping a souvenir unless that shipping cost is 10%-20% of the price of the souvenir. Find out what the store policy is on shipping. I have been in stores where they have a flat rate regardless of how much you spend. Depending on what that flat rate is, you may have to spend over a $1000 for it to be worth it.

Group mailing! Wait until the end of your trip to figure out what you don’t want to take on the plane. FedEx and DHL are common mail carriers overseas, and you can pack everything or they can pack your souvenirs for you. REMEMBER! Stay with your stuff until it is all taped up! Keep an inventory. I suggest both written and by photos. Make sure if there is more than one box it says that on your slip. You carried these souvenirs the whole trip, you don’t want to lose them now. Also, take into consideration that it will take a couple of weeks for your items to arrive at your door. They have to go through customs (just like you at the airport) and several channels before they reach your front door. Make sure you have a way to track your packages.

Another great way to bring back souvenirs safely is through your suitcase. Even if your suitcase is filled with clothing the key is to pack a large foldable, duffel bag in the bottom of your suitcase. The duffel bag is great because at the end of your trip you can unfold it and put all of your dirty clothing in here while packing all of your souvenirs safely into your sturdier suitcase. Just take into consideration that you have an extra piece of luggage to check at the airport. Checking an extra bag maybe less expensive then shipping your items back to the United States.

Now you have a few “I may never be here again so I just have to get it” options on your next vacation to get those amazing conversation starting souvenirs back to the United States. Happy shopping!

Kids rainy day beach activities, Fun for All!

Liz Hough on

Do rainy days at the beach with the kids make you want to pull out your hair?

Here are some fun activities to keep them occupied!

What to do with kids at the beach on a rainy day?

Last week we were staying in an amazing house down on Cape Hatteras before the tropical storms forced us out. This was my first experience staying down that far on the coast line. We usually stay in Duck, Corolla, or the Kill Devil Hills area but I did enjoy my brief stay on the Cape. I knew that it might rain and with little kids if you aren’t taking them into the pool or to the beach, what do you do to keep them occupied? Besides riding in the elevator for a few hours, yes, the elevator kept them happy for a few hours, we did a few other fun activities.

One of my favorite activities to do at the beach is to make feet or hand impressions of the kids using the local sand. I found this activity a few years ago on Pinterest and it is still a favorite of mine and the kids. You will need to bring a few items with you from home including a few picture frames and some plaster of Paris. The process is simple. All you need to do is take out the glass from the picture frame, place the frame on some newspaper, fill the frame with dried sand, make the kids impression in the sand, fill in with plaster of Paris, let it dry and now you have the kids’ feet forever. I love that I have a collection of the kids’ feet in sand from the various years of going to the beach. Just remember to make sure to keep the back to the frame for later use.

Another great rainy day activity is making impressions of the kids’ hands and feet with washable paint. There are so many amazing things you can do with their hands like make a giraffe or elephant. Maybe make a Christmas gift for the grandparents with their feet. The kids love getting paint all over them and parents love it too because it washes right off.

The Dollar Store is one of my favorite places to pick up seasonal crafts for the kids. Right now they have all their Halloween crafts and decorations out including spooky stickers. I don’t know what kid doesn’t love stickers! Mine love putting them all over the place including all over themselves. For Halloween they have foam cut outs of witch hats and ghosts so I let them decorate these cut outs with stickers and then glue on a stick on the back, and now we have spooky witches and ghosts running around the house.

Another favorite in our house is dress up. Buying fairy wings and wands is a fun way to have a magical day inside our very own Pixie Hollow. We had to beware of Captain Hook and his fellow pirates, however, we did forget to bring inflatable swords and eye patches for uncles and grandfathers to be the pirate pals. You have to play pirates at least once when you are in the Outer Banks to pay homage.

It seems like when you are packing to go to the beach we always make sure we have all the beach toys and chairs, but don’t consider that there may be one or two rainy days on the vacation. I just grab a few easy crafts that fit into a shoe box, my sand print picture frames, and a few fairy and pirate outfits and you have two days’ worth of stuff to keep the kids occupied. So on your next trip to the beach don’t forget to take these few essentials that will have you crafting memories of a lifetime and the kids laughing with excitement.

Ready for a Deal?

Liz Hough on

I have been reading a lot of negative reviews lately on TripAdvisor, Travel Guide, Oyster, etc. I am finding that a lot of people who leave negative reviews on these websites is because the hotel or resort they booked was not what they thought they were going to get with their “deal.” I have to laugh a bit because as much as everyone likes a “deal”, why would you want a “deal” for your vacation? Most Americans only take 2 to 3 weeks off per year so that means they are working 49 to 50 weeks a year. I would hate to work so many weeks and then when I take my vacation to be staying at a “deal” hotel or a “deal” resort and be completely disappointed or worse, miserable the entire time.

There are amazing deals around us all the time. I go to Target and get stuff on clearance at the end of the season for my kids and they love it, i.e. princess dresses for those of you who know my oldest daughter. This is a great deal for me because when they are regularly priced they can be expensive and since she wears them every day, they wear out quickly! Now when we go to Disney in a couple of weeks I will buy her princess dresses there but I know in advance that I am going to have to pay full price and I am hoping that they are better quality. I know that I am not going to get a “deal” but I am hoping that I am going to get good “value.” For weeks now, I have been putting aside princess dress money so I can get a better value dress or dresses for her.

Now when someone finds out that I am a travel consultant they instantly tell me about their worst vacation ever. I politely listen and when they are finished I asked them if they booked with a travel agency or travel agent/consultant. Probably 90% of the time they tell me they found a “deal” on the internet when they did their own research. I ask them where they did their research and they tell me TripAdvisor or the resorts webpage. Well, the resort will not post bad reviews of its hotel, and TripAdvisor likes to post the good reviews first. I ask them if they felt like they wasted their money and their time. Most of the time I hear an unquestionable Yes! So if you feel like you wasted your time and money then was it a good “deal?”

I also hear that people are disappointed because they didn’t receive the same treatment their friends did when they had stayed there. When doing your own online research, make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. A lot of times I hear an apples to oranges comparison, and that is why the same services were not provided. Resorts and hotels change specials frequently, sometimes weekly, so when you are looking for that same “deal” it may no longer be available. When doing your own online research, if you feel like you just aren’t finding what fits your needs, it may not be out there. However, a travel consultant may be able to find it in a few minutes because they know where to look.

To avoid becoming disappointed on your next vacation, and possibly leaving a bad review online, try to make your next vacation a “value.” You should come back from your vacation feeling happy and proud because of the star treatment you received. You shouldn’t even realize the amount of money you spent. You should have indulged in fine food and drinks, splurged on souvenirs, and taken private tours where you were the only ones behind the scenes. These experiences are unforgettable and is what you will be talking about with your friends and family at your next gathering. People love to hear these types of travel stories, I love hearing about these travel stories too!

So when planning your next vacation make sure to catch yourself every time you say “That sounds like a good deal.” Steer clear and try to catch yourself saying: “That sounds like a lot of fun and something I would not have done on my last vacation.”

Why you have to visit Burano, Italy.

Liz Hough on

If you are visiting Venice, Italy then you must take a day tour via boat over to Burano. Burano is known for its lace and brightly colored houses. It is said that Leonardo DaVinci visited the island in the 1400’s and bought some lace. Why wouldn’t he buy some lace on Burano! The lace is handmade using tiny needles and the end product is an intricate masterpiece loved by all. Thanks to Leonardo, the popularity of Burano lace exploded and became well known throughout Europe. This helped this little city grew in popularity and increased tourism. With so many visitors buying a lot of the lace, the city opened a lace making school right on the island. Today you can go into lace stores all over the island. You can purchase anything from place mats to decorative lace pictures, and each are as intricate and beautiful as you would expect. Remember that these pieces are made by hand so the larger the piece the more expensive it will be.

This is a small piece of lace that I purchased on the island of Burano in 2007. It is about three inches wide and an inch and a half in height. It is beautiful!

Burano is also known for its brightly colored homes. The story goes that when the fisherman of Burano come back from a long day of fishing, tired and beaten by the sea, they can easily find their house by the bright color. I also believe this is helpful at night when the fisherman come back from the bar after drinking a bit too much of that amazing Italian wine. Homes all over the island, even along the small streets, are brightly colored. The color spectrum of these homes follows a specific color order. To change the color means that one would have to go through several channels of approval. I think this is a great tradition that should be well preserved as it is hard for an island even to be recognized for one amazing tradition let alone two that Burano holds.

This island has so much to offer you including great food so you can grab something to eat after all that lace shopping. I guarantee that when you take in the sites Burano on your next visit to Italy you will not be disappointed. Just make sure you buy a small token of lace to bring back with you.