HWYD Travel



Here's What You Do -Travel

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Believe it or Not! in Saint Augustine




Here’s What We Did:

Hi, everybody! It's Andrea and Steve. This trip began as an optimistically quick family get away. The plan was for us to leave Georgia on a Wednesday and returning on Friday. Yep, a really short trip. It was a long drive, but it was adventurous to just go for it.

Specs:

Who: Two adults, three children
Where: Atlanta, Georgia – St. Augustine, Florida – Atlanta, Georgia
When:  Third week in June
How Long:  3 days, 2 nights
Transportation:  Driving
Maximum All-Inclusive Budget: $1000
Special Purchases and Events: Christmas ornaments, visits with friends, silver charms for bracelets

Day Plans:

Day 1: Atlanta, GA to St. Augustine, FL
Breakfast: At home
Lunch: Picnic in car
Dinner: Aunt Kate's Restaurant in St. Augustine
Hotel: Days Inn, Downtown, St. Augustine
*Take your hot-spot. The wi-fi was spotty, but to be fair, so was our hot-spot.

Day 2: St. Augustine, FL
Breakfast: Denny's at the Days Inn
Special 1: Fountain of Youth
Special 2: The original Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum
Lunch: Casa Santa Monica
Dessert: Claude's
Special 3: Castillo de San Marcos Fort
Special 4: Souvenir hunting in the old town
Dinner: The Back 40
Hotel: Days Inn, Downtown, St. Augustine

Day 3:  St. Augustine, FL to Atlanta, GA
Brunch: Chick-Fil-A
Late Lunch: Picnic in car
Dinner: Home
Hotel: none

Bottom Line:

We loved the Casa Monica. We've both stayed at the hotel here without the kids, and we knew going in it's not exactly budget friendly. When we win the lotto, we're going to stay in one of the towers for an extended stay at the beach. But for this trip, a light lunch was plenty. As a highly recognizable St. Augustine landmark, the children needed to at least see the place. The architecture is snazzy, and it leaves with you a lovely idea of what the historical St. Augustine is supposed to be all about. If you want to just drop in and walk through the hotel, it's worth it if you are in the area. The beautiful Flagler University is to the right, across the lovely square in front of the hotel. We chose to stop at the hotel restaurant. We ordered a charcuterie plate and light appetizers before heading over for decadent dessert at Claude's.

And we love Claude's! The people there couldn't be nicer. If you are a wine connoisseur, we recommend you skip that section at the front of the store and head on back to chocolates. If, "wine is a wine is a wine to you," then help yourself to the tastings. But really. The glory of the Claude's is in the desserts. The beautifully decorated treasures of tasty heaven do not pale by comparison to any of the best chocolate in the world. If chocolate's not your thing, they have the more mundane alternatives, including mass produced ice cream novelties. But seriously. Try the chocolate.

We also loved the Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum. We know there are a lot of these all around the country. We've been to our fair share of them. But this is the original. And the kids loved it, albeit they were a little grossed out at times. I think the Cannibal Fork sparked the most disturbing discussion the kids had later in the car. Since strange but true things are all the rage in our household, I had to practically drag the kids to the gift shop. They just didn't want to leave.

The Back 40 – What a surprising little restaurant. Great value on the tacos during Happy Hour, and they have an interesting selection. We shared the jerk chicken and shrimp. We overate. I admit it. It was a good place for adults and children, though it didn't cater to the baser trappings of a kid-friendly restaurant. We really like to dine with the children, not just ignore them while they entertain themselves with toys and kids' menus, etc. This little café welcomed the children, but there was no bombardment of brightly colored plastic condescension. So, this was a great place to actually dine with children - not just feed them. The Back 40 was very laid back, and it had relatively private dining. It's in a converted house, so parking is around back. The seating was spacious, the food was creative but not so creative that the kids couldn't eat, and the waitstaff were super nice and attentive.

The Numbers:

Our spreadsheet of what we bought, where, and how much it was. This includes everything from gas to souvenirs to hotels, meals, and replacing lost iPhone chargers. (Coming soon.)

Links:

Hotels:
http://www.daysinn.com/hotels/florida/st-augustine/days-inn-st-augustine-historic-downtown/hotel-overview

Restaurants:
http://aunt-kates.com/
http://www.casamonica.com/
http://www.back40cafe.com/
http://www.claudeschocolate.com/

Activities:
http://www.fountainofyouthflorida.com/
http://www.ripleys.com/staugustine/
http://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm

Happy Travels!

Andrea and Steve

Sharing at:
http://betweennapsontheporch.net
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Sailing Away in Annapolis, Maryland


Here’s What We Did:

Hi, everybody! It's Andrea and Steve. This trip began as an idea to tour a bit of New England in the spring before retrieving our daughter from boarding school in Maryland at the end of the year. A week-long his and hers getaway. Good food. Good wine. Good views. Good wi-fi so we could still work.

The original plan had us leaving Georgia on a Saturday, picking up our daughter the following Saturday. We would begin our drive home the same day to arrive home on Sunday, more than a week after our departure. So, the trip would have been a total of 8 days, 7 nights. The schedule was squeezed as the date neared due to work and family demands. We realized we weren’t going to be able to leave until much later that week – Wednesday!  We scrapped the New England leisurely drive and chose a locale closer to the boarding school outside of Baltimore. We settled on Annapolis because it has a charming and relaxed downtown area with great shops and restaurants in easy walking distance. We knew we would have to complete a marathon drive on the way up and back, but we would have two days in Annapolis, and that was worth trying to make the effort. Following that, we would proceed to Baltimore on Friday as planned, pick up our daughter on Sunday morning and drive all the way home on Sunday. Our trip was 5 days and 4 nights, and we managed to get in a few additional adventures in Pennsylvania and Delaware!

Specs:

Who: Two adults
Where: Atlanta, Georgia –Annapolis, Maryland – Baltimore, Maryland – Atlanta, Georgia
When:  Last week in May
How Long:  5 days, 4 nights
Transportation:  Driving
Maximum All-Inclusive Budget: $2000
Special Purchases and Events: Christmas ornaments, silver bracelet charms, books by local writers, a cruise on the Chesapeake, a museum or two, visits with friends, try some good restaurants, side trip to Delaware, look at property

Day Plans:

Day 1: Atlanta, GA to Annapolis, MD
Breakfast: At home
Lunch: Picnic in car
Dinner: McGarvey’s Oyster Bar and Saloon
Hotel: ScotLaur Inn

Day 2: Annapolis, MD
Breakfast: Hard Bean Coffee and Booksellers
Lunch: Buddy’s Crabs and Ribs
Happy Hour: Maria’s Sicilian Ristorante
Special: Woodwind Schooner
Dinner: Reynolds Tavern
Hotel: ScotLaur Inn

Day 3: Annapolis, MD to Baltimore, MD
Breakfast: Hard Bean Coffee and Booksellers
Lunch: Picnic in car
Dinner: Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano
Hotel: Mount Vernon Hotel

Day 4: Baltimore, MD – Chadds Ford, PA – Wilmington, DE – Baltimore, MD
Breakfast: Continental Breakfast at hotel
Lunch: Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA
Dinner: Bellafonte Café and Trading Company, Wilmington, DE
Hotel: Mount Vernon Hotel

Day 5: Baltimore, MD – Atlanta, GA
Breakfast: Continental Breakfast at hotel
Lunch: Picnic in car
Dinner: Fast food
Hotel: none

Bottom Line:

We loved the ScotLaur Inn. Mind you, it was super-budget friendly and left a lot to be desired in the way of aesthetics and comfort. BUT! It is SO close to everything downtown. We like to have our cocktails and wine at dinner, and being able to walk to the hotel afterwards is a big plus because it saves us cab fare. The owners and staff were incredibly friendly. It’s very close to parking with multiple entrances. AND it sits atop Chick and Ruth’s Delly, an Annapolis legend. Chick and Ruth’s is a busy diner with locals and tourists alike. You will actually check in for your room in the diner. The really fun thing was the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in the diner.  We love our luxurious hotel linens and 24-hour room service as much as the next person, but it was no big sacrifice for the location and the charm. However, if you don’t like feeling you are in a bed and breakfast, it’s definitely not for you. You can pay 300% more and stay at the more modern, luxurious, and generic hotels down the street.

We also loved the Hard Bean Coffee and Booksellers. Free and fast wi-fi, a small but eclectic selection of used books, new books, and featured books by local authors. Coffees. Quiches. Sweets. On the harbor. Just wonderful. Wonderful staff. We spent a few hours there each day to work remotely. Also budget-friendly.

Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano – Holy Cow. I can’t believe how many times I have been to Baltimore and missed this treat! I am not even sure I have words for how good the food was. It’s worth going to Baltimore to have dinner there. Recommending the Colossal Lump Crab Cocktail appetizer, Shrimp Bisque, Lobster Saffron Mashed Potatoes, and the Osso buco. Not even slightly budget-friendly but so completely worth the splurge.

The sunset cruise on the Woodwind Schooner with live music was by far our favorite thing. We plan to do this every time we are in Annapolis. Great staff. Lovely music. And toasting at sunset on the water was terribly romantic. Make sure you look at their calendar online, though. The nightly cruises are frequent, but the live music seemed to happen every week or so. You can reserve your spot online as well. If we hadn't booked ahead of time and taken our confirmation number to the dock with us, there would not have been availability.

We actually didn't have time to do this on this trip, but the Mount Vernon Hotel is around the corner from the Walter's Art Museum in Baltimore. We have been many times over the years, and we just love it. If you haven't been, it is a museum that is completely worth an leisurely visit. Stunning. The Archimedes Codex by R. Netz and W. Noel is a great read about one particularly special piece of antiquity that came their way. Mystery, history, science, and art rolled into one.


The Numbers:

Our spreadsheet of what we bought, where, and how much it was. This includes everything from gas to souvenirs to hotels, meals, and replacing lost iPhone chargers. (Coming soon.)

Links:

Hotels:
http://www.scotlaurinn.com/
http://www.mountvernonbaltimore.com/

Restaurants:
http://www.aldositaly.com/
http://www.chickandruths.com/
http://www.mcgarveyssaloon.com/
http://www.reynoldstavern.org/
http://www.buddysannap.com/mainsite/

Activities:
http://www.schoonerwoodwind.com/
http://www.brandywinemuseum.org/
http://thewalters.org/

Happy Travels!

Andrea and Steve

Sharing at:
http://betweennapsontheporch.net
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Wanna See the World? Here's What You Do...



Hey There!


We're Steve and Andrea.



Dock Street, Annapolis, Maryland

You may be familiar with our sister blog, Here's What You Do (Altanta), so you know we like to go and see and do in metro Atlanta. What you may not know is that we like to travel. No, I mean we REALLY like to travel. In fact, in the last year, we've covered more than 15,000 miles and been to some 27 states together - some as many as five times. We aren't even going to try to include a tally of individual work trips to other places.


While we are happy to recommend our treasured finds in Atlanta, we are looking forward to opening up about our travel adventures, too. We hope you get out of town every so often and will use this site as a resource for creative ideas.


In HWYD (Travel), we are going to tackle questions like:



  • Where should I go for a unique romantic weekend getaway?
  • Should I drive or fly?
  • If I only have one day here, what is the best use of the day?
  • Which travel discounting site makes the most sense for my trip?
  • What would be a worthwhile place to take the children on vacation?
  • Which museum is really THE one I need to visit while here?
  • What do I need to know about traveling with the children overseas?

Mount Rushmore, Keystone, South Dakota


Does Anyone Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is?

We know there are travel sites a-plenty. We read the travel books and site reviews and see the wide-ranging rants or praises from the, "I hated it!" to the, "I will come back here again every year for the rest of my life!" But how many people try enough things while traveling to make an informed comparison?


Here's what you need to know about us. We are putting our money where our mouth is. We actually have taken every trip posted on this site, from New Orleans to Dar es Salaam. We'll describe what we did, how we did it, what we packed, what worked, what didn't, how much it cost, and what we would do differently. We will tell you what the kids thought. We will tell you what we thought. Often, people in our family have widely differing opinions on activities based on age and interests among other things. While we are pretty understanding and positive in general, there are always things we would do differently, and we will share that with you. 

We will also label our posts with the numbers of days we spent on our trips, the prices, and the locations to make searching our posts easy. We will review travel sites, attractions, hotels, budget-friendly finds, meals, the free-breakfast coffee, and even the possible of bathroom stops on roads where they are few and far between. So you can expect to see actual data as well as our narrative, our photos, menus, links, and any other resources we can think to provide.

Staying Connected While Traveling

One major feature will always be internet access. For instance, hotels advertise internet access, but the much-anticipated access may be slow and unreliable or surprisingly amazing. Because we do have actual day jobs, we will be happy to share that losing all cell-phone access while driving in eastern Wyoming makes conference calls and hot spot functionality impossible. We are serious users of the internet when we travel for work and for trip research; we can live without it, but we prefer not to!


Here's What You Do (Travel)

So, get ready for Here's What You Do (Travel).  Check out our Facebook page.  Like the page to add it to your Facebook feed.  It's gonna be fun!


Happy Travels!

Andrea and Steve

Sharing at:
http://betweennapsontheporch.net
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/
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