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Trip Ideas

Visiting Newport’s Gilded Age Mansions

A while back, when exploring some of our local Miami area mansions such as Vizcaya, the Deering Estate, and the Flagler Museum, a reader suggested we visit the Gilded Age mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. We finally managed to fit in a mini vacation to see these wonderful historic homes.

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Travel Tips

When Travel Plans Go Awry, Make the Most of It

This travel tip is a reminder to stay grateful and to make lemonade when dealt a few lemons on our travels. On a recent trip to Rhode Island, we were dealt a few lemons to say the least. First, while we had opted for an early afternoon arrival to make our leisurely 2-hour drive from […]

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Trip Ideas

A Day in Hartford, Connecticut

On our way back from Rhode Island we were expecting to fly home from Hartford. Our airline had other plans for us and cancelled our flight. In the end, we decided to make lemonade out of the lemons we were dealt and decided to enjoy our day in Hartford.

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Montreal Activities

Chinese Lanterns and Fall Foliage at the Montreal Botanical Garden

At 190 acres, nestled in the center of Montreal across from the Olympic Stadium, the Botanical Garden of Montreal is a great attraction to visit and make a day of it. It is part of the Espace pour la vie (Space for life) complex, which also includes the Insectarium, Planetarium and the Biodome. All within […]

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Trip Ideas

Enjoying the Southern Charm of Savannah, Georgia

At almost 7 hours’ drive from the Miami area, Savannah makes for a long trip, but it is also a wonderful weekend getaway or mini-vacation idea.

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Trip Ideas

St. Augustine, Florida: Things to See and Do

This little town is located on the northern part of Florida’s east coast about an hour south of Jacksonville. Its mixture of historical sites, quirky tourist attractions and miles of white sand beaches make it a great choice for a family vacation or a weekender trip. St. Augustine is an interesting city with a long […]

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Travel Tips

Covid Testing for Travel: Our Experience Going to Canada

Thankfully this is no longer required to visit Canada. After a long 20-month hiatus, we finally had the chance to go to Canada and see our families! This was our first international trip since the start of the pandemic and to get there we had to jump through a few hoops. But being able to […]

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South Florida Day Trips

The Ringling Estate and Museum in Sarasota, Florida

The Ringling is a sprawling estate encompassing 66 acres located in Sarasota, Florida. Perhaps a bit long for a day trip being a 3 ½-hour drive from Miami (or 3 hours from Fort Lauderdale), it can be combined with other Gulf Coast activities such as the Edison and Ford Winter Estates to make for a […]

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Travel Tips

Haven’t Traveled in a While? Take an Inventory of Your Travel Essentials

With most of us on extended travel hiatuses, we are probably quite excited and enthusiastic about an eventual return to travel. It’s hard to imagine that almost 18 months has already gone by, and it seems we may have to cope with pandemic related rules for a long time to come. This month’s travel tip […]

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South Florida Day Trips

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: Downtown Sarasota Campus and Historic Spanish Point

There are two Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in the Sarasota area. The Downtown Sarasota Campus off Bayfront Park, and the Historic Spanish Point located a little over 10 miles away along Highway 41 on North Tamiami Trail in Osprey. It’s possible to visit both botanical gardens on the same day and doing so would not […]