Goin2Travel

I haven't been to the place in the picture, but I am always looking for that next big trip. I found a website called Goin2Travel and it has vacation rentals listed for just about everywhere. This pic is from one of the many Fort Myers Beach vacation rentals
Looks inviting doesn't it? Their website is full of beautiful detailed pictures of their rentals, with complete information about each one. You also get information about the community it is in and the nearby attractions. You can rent directly with the owner or manager. I think that would make it easier for booking purposes. Last year we took the whole family to a vacation rental on a lake and had a great time. I have been looking ever since for somewhere nice to take them again. I am glad I found this website. So many places to choose from. Kissimmee vacation rentals
and Panama City beach vacation homes
are just a few of the places where you can rent. These are in sunny Florida.
I have been to Florida a couple of times and enjoyed it immensely. I have bookmarked this site for future reference, since I plan on checking it out thoroughly and hopefully planning my next vacation. Check it out and see for yourself.

Soaring Eagle Resort, Mt Pleasant, MI

This resort is about 3 hours from my house. We go there every year for our anniversary. Before the resort was built we used to go and stay at small motels nearby, but now we stay in their lavish rooms. We have stayed in the first class rooms to the deluxe rooms but find we like the jacuzzi room the best. Since the resort is on an Indian Reservation the whole place is decorated in the Native American style. It is so beautiful. The beds are so comfortable and the jacuzzi is just the best. We play all the slots, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. Mostly we lose. We have fun though. We do, however, usually get enough comps on our players card to eat at the fancy restaurants at the resort. They have a buffet with all you can eat type stuff. It's ok, but the meals at the Steakhouse and the Water Lily are to die for. We will usually sit for about 3 hours just eating and talking and enjoying the atmosphere. The bar in the Water Lily serves the best nachos loaded with all the goodies. Very tasty.
At the beginning of this year they started sending me postcards telling me to come and stay from Sunday through Thursday for free. This month I called them to take them up on their offer. They didn't have any more free rooms left but for the cost of 84.00 I got to upgrade to the jacuzzi suite. Would have been nice to stay for 5 days but we only stayed for 2.
This pic is a view from our room last year. They have a swimming pool, lap pool and spa too. Very nice place.

Chicago

What a fantastic city! We went in the month of July 03. We took the Amtrak train from Ann Arbor to Chicago. I had never been on a train so I thought that would be fun. It was ok, nothing special. Took about 5 hours to get there. We booked a suite at the Lenox. It wasn't a very tall building but our room was up as high as we could go. The room wasn't the greatest but it was adequate. We were right in the middle of everything. Most times we just walked but occasionally we took a taxi. Beware though, the taxi drivers are maniacs behind the wheel. 5 days was not enough time to see everything but we tried. We went to the Shedd Aquarium which was really nice. Lots of different sea creatures. It is set up in such a way that you won't miss anything by just walking around. They had a show with the dolphins too. They are so beautiful. We also went to Field Museum which is full of prehistoric creatures. They have an exhibit of the worlds largest and most complete T-rex. It was very educational. We shopped on the Magnificent Mile. That was a real treat. So many famous name stores and boutiques. I like to shop. It was difficult to choose where to eat because there are so many restaurants and the aroma of their food drifts out to the sidewalks. It was heavenly. Even in the little diners the food was delicious.
I guess the top of my list for fun things to do was going to Navy Pier. They have a 150 foot high ferris wheel (see pic) that is just amazing to look at. I was too scared to ride it so I just stood their and looked at it in awe of its size. We ate at a restaurant that served fine foods like filet mignon, oysters on the half shell and lobster tail. Excellent eating there! They had bands playing different kinds of music and arcade type games. You could rent bicycles with seats big enough for two to ride around on. We took a moonlight cruise out on Lake Michigan and saw the fireworks. They were awesome. The weather cooperated on this trip and we had sunshine everyday. The buildings in Chicago are so massive that you feel so small in comparison. Next time I go I want to stay in a high rise hotel with a view of Lake Michigan. Anyone have any suggestions? I really enjoyed Chicago and will gladly go back again.

Las Vegas

No life is complete without a visit to Las Vegas. I have been there 6 times now. I just love it there. I have stayed at the Venetian 5 times and the Paris once. Vegas is like one huge playground. I haven't been to any shows but I have walked all over that town and viewed many exhibits. The Titanic exhibit is probably the one I liked the most. When you go in you get to see real artifacts from the ship including clothing, jewelry, dishes and many other things. They have replicas of how the ship was set up, like the sleeping rooms, dining areas and staircases. They are actual size so you get the feeling of really being on the ship. You also get to know a lot about the passengers, like who they were and where they came from and if they were in the higher class or lower class areas.
Each Casino is unique in its own way with themed decor. So much to look at! I like how most of them are set up like little cities inside where you can shop and eat. When you look up at the high ceilings it has murals like a blue sky with white clouds. So you feel like everyday is a good weather day.
You can't go wrong with the food anywhere. They have so many restaurants to choose from. I like to eat in the restaurants where you can sit at dimly lit tables and sip on wine for hours. So romantic.
One of my favorite places to eat is in the tower of the Paris. They have the best lobster. And what a view! Inside their casino they have a cobblestone walkway to their shops and restaurants. It makes you feel just like you are walking down a street in Paris. Even though I haven't been to Paris I can imagine that some of the streets are like that.
One place that is a lot of fun is the Rio. They have a Mardi Gras theme. Many times throughout the night they have dancers who come out on lighted floats that go around just over the gaming floor and throw out beads while dancing to music. They also have a dancing stage show that is free. The famous Chippendales are there too. A very high energy casino.
I could go on and on about what there is to see and do in Vegas but this blog would never end. This is a must see and experience for yourself kind of town. I don't know when I am going back but I hope it is soon.

Cruising...........

Another great trip was a cruise in April 2004. We took our daughter, her friend, our son and his wife for our daughters high school senior trip. We didn't want her to go with the rest of her friends to Florida. Visions of seeing her on Girls Gone Wild commercials kept running through my head, ugh. I'm glad we chose the cruise. We went on Royal Caribbeans Enchantment of the Seas. It has since been refurbished and made into a larger ship with more amenities. It was nice when we were on it though. We had a great time. We didn't have fancy rooms but they were still satisfactory. We slept so well with the boat rocking us gently to sleep at night. Every morning we were treated to a large buffet breakfast. In the evenings we would dress up, go to dinner, and eat fancy foods. Good stuff! We could then go see a show, which were all very good, or participate in whatever the ship had going on, like games or the casino. There was lots to do. Our first stop was in Key West, Fl. We weren't there but a few hours so we walked around, went to an aquarium where you could touch the sharks and sting rays, and shopped.
Our next stop was in Cozumel. That was a real treat. We didn't take a cab into town but chose to walk. That was a long walk but it was beautiful. Next to the side walk was a view of the ocean the whole way. (see pic) The ocean was just an incredible shade of turquoise. The town was packed with tourists. We saw many other cruise ships docked. Great place for souvenirs. We ate 'authentic' Mexican food at a restaurant that was delicious. We didn't go in to the famous Senior Frogs because it was too crowded, but we enjoyed the atmosphere. We then took a cab and went to the beach. What a relaxing time. They have a great beach, soft sand, warm water, sunshine, and icy drinks. Ahhhh. My daughter and her friend went parasailing. We watched.

The next day we went to Belize. I think that was the highlight of our trip. The ship was too big to dock so a little boat had to take us out to our snorkeling excursion. That was really fun. The boat took us way out to a small uninhabited island and we snorkeled from the boat to the shore. It was all one big reef. The edges of the island were rocky and made up of dead coral. It was still neat to look at. The island was sandy with several palm trees and one grass hut. We were served lunch on the island. Very nice. We could see a storm coming from far away but soon it was near and we had to leave. The boat took everyone back to the ship quickly trying to out run the storm. It was a short storm and we got wet but it was fun. We then took the same boat over to Belize for a few hours and walked through the town and shopped at the many local shops. The Belize people were very friendly. The last day of our cruise was spent at sea. It was a nice day to lay around the pool and just relax. I wouldn't mind doing that trip again.

Mexico

This was another great trip. We went to the Riviera Maya in Mexico and stayed at the El Dorado Royale Spa and Resort in April 2006. This was another all adult, all inclusive resort. What fun! We had a regular room, tried to upgrade to a Casita but they were full. Did I say "regular" room? It was actually a suite, complete with jacuzzi and mini bar. It was real nice. The resort was beautiful despite the wear tear on the palm trees from the hurricane the year before. The beach was sandy and the water was calm and a pretty carribbean blue. On both ends of the resorts they have rocky areas and you can't get in the water there. The swimming area has 'whales' that are large sacks filled with sand to keep down the erosion. They aren't pretty but they keep the swimming area water nice and calm. They also have several pools and a swim up bar. The food there is just awesome and the drinks are good too.
We went on an excursion to a place called Xel-ha to snorkel. What a great park! Xel-ha means 'where the water is born'. Our guide explained that the river meets the ocean in this area and is a natural water park. The water is almost an unbelievable blue/green. There is so much to do. You can swim with the dolphins, snorkel, float on the river, jump off cliffs, (into the water) cross a floating bridge, take nature walks, go in an underwater cave, or just sit and eat and drink, (food and drinks included).
Another day we went to Playa Del Carmen. They have shopping for something like 10 city blocks. Great place to buy souvenirs. We had dinner at one of the many outdoor restaurants. Dinner was made at the table. The chef poured flames from one pan to another while preparing a delicious shrimp dish. It was almost like watching a show but you got to eat it too.

Jamaica

Another nice place to go is the Sandals Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. We went there in April 2005. When I think back to that trip my fondest memories are of the people there. They sing or hum all day while they work and always have kind words to say. They pamper you and treat you like royalty. They speak English too.
Our view of the ocean was from our second story honeymoon suite (see pic above) Their beach is another beauty. Soft white sand with crystal clear calm waters. The staff from the resort would wade and snorkel the water at the beach every morning and pick up the sea urchins and take them away so no one would get stung by stepping on one. We went snorkeling on this trip and I can't even begin to tell you how pretty the reefs were. Words could never do it justice.

The food here was awesome. Many local dishes and very fresh. The coffee is just amazing! I still buy Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee online because we both just love it. Oh, and the tomatoes are so flavorful and have such a fresh aroma. I wish we could grow them here like that. I can't wait to go back there again.

Going home....

6 days flies when you are having a good time. What a relaxing vacation, but alas, all good things must come to an end. I can't close out this trip without talking about the staff. What a great bunch of people. Most of them only speak Spanish but are willing to try and communicate with you and will even help you with their words. Everyone was so friendly and we had our favorites. These folks work 11 days on and have 2 off. They work from early morning until late at night. You get to know them and they know you. When we were leaving, we walked up to the front lobby to catch our bus. One of the guys from the restaurant came running out to say goodbye, shook my husbands hand then hugged and kissed me. He was such a great guy. Our trip to the airport was uneventful but once again was able to see the countryside. At the airport we found that we were hungry and low and behold they had a Wendys there. I love Wendys. I fell asleep on the airplane and when I woke and looked out the window I saw the most beautiful colors of the sky closing up the day. What a site to see at the end of a spectacular trip.

Continued......

It took us about 30 minutes to get to the resort. Not bad. We were greeted in the open air front lobby with tropical drinks. Very refreshing. Check in was a breeze and our luggage was taken to our room. We wanted to walk so we could see the grounds. What a beautiful place! The grass was so green and the palm trees were gorgeous. All of the landscaping was true eye candy. I couldn't wait to see our room. That too was a treat. Pretty tile floors, a sunken living room and a patio with a view of the pool and the ocean. You couldn't see much of the beach from my room because we were on the first floor, but a great view none the less. Our fridge was stocked with beer, water and pop, (coke and sprite). A bottle of rum and 3 cigars were there for us too. We changed clothes and headed off the get something to eat. I won't go into too much detail about the food but during our trip we were treated to plenty of very good food with many choices and pretty presentations. Our package included high end liquor so we always had many choices for drinks. It was fun to dress up and go out for dinner and just take in the view of everything.
The beach was just the best beach I have ever been on. The sand was like powder and so soft on the feet. We had the option of lying on tanning beds at the beach but mostly just lay on the chaise loungers. The temperature was in the upper 80's everyday but you couldn't feel the heat because there was always a gentle breeze blowing. In the morning my husband would give the bartender a good tip and icy drinks were brought right to us on the beach before our glasses were empty. Needless to say we ended up drinking way too much. Butler service was included in the VIP package. They had a drink called the Coco Loco that was like a smoothie with rum, coconut, cinnamon and chocolate. It was very good!
The water was just what you imagine with the Caribbean. Turquoise, warm, and so clear you could see the sandy bottom. It was just right. Sometimes the waves would be up and they would carry you back to shore. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. Just heavenly! One morning I got up early and caught the sunrise over the ocean. Magnificent!
Our package also included a massage for the both of us, which was very welcome after lying in the sun all day. We loved it.
We took nature walks and saw several kinds of birds including peacocks, lizards, crabs and even a monkey. OK, a guy was holding the monkey for pictures, but I did see a monkey. My husband got his picture taken with 2 Macaws. One had a red chest, the other one yellow. Nice picture. Gotta go for now, more later.

Dominican Republic

I recently visited the Punta Cana Princess Resort in the Dominican Republic. It is an all adult all inclusive resort. What a great trip! I only have one complaint and that was that is was too short. My husband and I went for 5 nights, 6 days. This trip was so inexpensive. We had Spirits version of first class and had bought the VIP package for the resort. I searched online for the best price and then called my travel agent who took care of the leg work for us. So easy. Our only problem with the flight was that because of the days we were going we couldn't get a straight flight and had to lay over in Fort Lauderdale, FL for about an hour each way. That wasn't their fault though. When we arrived at the airport we were stopped by 2 girls in beautiful outfits of red white and blue with hats of fruit on their heads. Our picture was taken with them and then on our way home we received them. Getting through customs was a breeze since all we did was walk through and was waived on to get our luggage. We then found our bus to take us to the resort. There were others going to their resorts too. The drive was nice and we could see some of their country. I had heard it was awful but I didn't see anything so bad. The weather was so warm, nice change from our 30 degree weather in MI. I have to stop now and will continue tomorrow.