tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14679415946142449822024-02-21T03:04:24.931-08:00thriftymommagogoThe thriftymommastips travel divisionPaula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-50481715762311441702011-03-10T07:19:00.000-08:002011-03-10T07:19:47.110-08:00Vancouver's Coast Plaza<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4k0vOL7ZYzolXy52BjTrOOUl8k0pRNJtDcRhlLbC2H80kQXFhEKQEVCJsN3PplygGFXBpbg4aRNSnmoNhboEfcbsx7H1FkYFXNOwvTNzVAC10QD42py37IuXIR5jLUqLQA9RHi68PdAwv/s1600/vancouver+2011+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4k0vOL7ZYzolXy52BjTrOOUl8k0pRNJtDcRhlLbC2H80kQXFhEKQEVCJsN3PplygGFXBpbg4aRNSnmoNhboEfcbsx7H1FkYFXNOwvTNzVAC10QD42py37IuXIR5jLUqLQA9RHi68PdAwv/s320/vancouver+2011+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The View From My Window in Vancouver's Coast Plaza Hotel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UQ455ydgalh3VkhzF6VDaZr1lZRWKcrRNCu8640b1mo3u8X_VFz0SaHIFbFn7E_OTVIzb4pMieVeSUMRFnPNWbQ6614yhmfsnTFrmsNI7hUfZ2wtROqBVST0baa2WBHeo6AqVW0umZxX/s1600/Vancouver+2011+iphone+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UQ455ydgalh3VkhzF6VDaZr1lZRWKcrRNCu8640b1mo3u8X_VFz0SaHIFbFn7E_OTVIzb4pMieVeSUMRFnPNWbQ6614yhmfsnTFrmsNI7hUfZ2wtROqBVST0baa2WBHeo6AqVW0umZxX/s320/Vancouver+2011+iphone+017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown near the shore in Vancouver</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I discovered this gem by accident really and I was very fortunate, so I wanted to pass it on to my readers. While in <em>Vancouver</em> on business at a conference last week I had the good fortune to stay at the Coast Plaza <em>Hotel on Comox Street, near Denman</em> Plaza. The prices were excellent and the variety of rooms plentiful. I understand there are some folks who live here year round inside the Coast Plaza and therefore some of the rooms are the size of small apartments. I was attending a conference at the very fancy <em>Westin Bayshore</em>, but rooms there sold out, and at $200 a night, the rooms at the Westin were far too much money for me anyways. Last minute a colleague who works for the board as a special education and mental health consultant mentioned the Coast Plaza. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rooms were priced at $100 a night for the friends I travelled with to the conference. Well, on line last minute I was able to request a room for $80 a night. It was for a single occupant - myself as I was staying in a room alone on this trip. I had the option of two double beds or a queen bed. I asked for a queen bed and ended up staying in a suite that I joked was bigger than a relative's condominium. (For sure it was larger than many apartments I lived in when in university). Anyways the <em>Coast Plaza</em> was affordable and clean. There was literally no bad view. I could see English Bay and the ships every morning. A colleague could see the Rockies and the Bay. Her room was smaller though. Another colleague could see even more of the city, remarkable really. The rooms were quiet and clean. The wireless internet password was provided for free for the duration of my stay. I also had a large bathroom, kitchenette and living room area. There was prompt housekeeping every day, a free <em>Globe and Mail</em> each morning and generally just a really good experience staying here. <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002Y27P3M&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>It is not the fanciest or newest motel/hotel in Vancouver, but it was downtown, surrounded by excellent restaurants. It was a very safe area and it even opened onto a small shopping mall (Denman Plaza: with a Shoppers Drug Mart and a No Frills inside.) Everything was nearby and shopping was a short taxi or walk away. The hotel occupants also could make use of the fitness complex beside the buidling. There were two on site restaurants. Both were affordable. The Comox burger spot was a sports bar and lounge with giant burgers, salmon burgers and salads. <em>The Brasserie</em> was a bit fancier and breakfast could be ordered the night before and scheduled to be sent up at whatever time you wanted. The Coast Plaza was roughly 25 minutes away from the airport and a 10 minute walk to the conference centre or the shore. Service was great. Very friendly and prompt. Coast Plaza gets $$$$ out of $$$$$. Very affordable and clean. Not fancy but the price reflects that. Perfect for business travel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-58289867950488501872011-02-20T12:36:00.000-08:002011-03-07T08:36:52.692-08:00Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Via Train Travel and Business Class<span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0013HUVV2&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><br />
I am a frequent <em>Via</em> <em>train</em> traveller. For those day trips to <em>Toronto</em>, or the occasional trip further to Ottawa, you can't beat the comfort of travel by train. And frankly with the cost of gas, sometimes train travel ends up being almost the same amount when you do the math. Up until recently, I always selected supersaver or enconomy class travel. I figured it was the cheapest way to go, so it made sense. I have often eyed the business class with envy and wondered what extras they might get for the price. At the end of last year, I had a chance to travel to Toronto to talk at the budget consultations that were being conducted by<em> Ontario's Liberal government</em> and <em>Finance Minister Dwight Duncan.</em> It was a super opportunity for our non profit, the Canadian Coalition of <em>Adoptive Families</em> (<a href="http://www.canadiancoalitionofadoptivefamilies.ca/">http://www.canadiancoalitionofadoptivefamilies.ca/</a> ) to put forward ideas that we believe save money in the long run and support adoptive families as well. Anyways this time I thought that on the way back from Toronto I would give business class a try just to see what I was missing. The cost is $20 more one way and I was keen to know what kind of frills that bought me. I paid for the trip myself as we have no funding whatsoever for our no profit. So I was at liberty to test out biz class for this blog. Here is what I found:<br />
<span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002K0OGOO&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><br />
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*To start with I had access to the lounge for business class. It was overcrowded on the day that I came back - a Friday night - but nicer than sitting in the drafty public area of Toronto's Union Station. <br />
*We boarded the train first.<br />
*We got dinner on the way back, which was great because I would have landed in town at 8 p.m. and after a full day I would have then been on the hunt for the nearest Subway. The food wasn't thrilling, but we had a choice of salmon or chicken and the chicken really wasn't half bad. To put in perspective it was better than airplane food.<br />
*Alcoholic beverages were served and the wine was free flowing.<br />
*Coffee and other beverages also available at no extra cost.<br />
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<em>So from a thrifty mama perspective was the extra $20 worth it? Ab-so-lutely! I really was pleasantly surprised and I would do this again. Not every time, but when someone else is paying for sure and when I am travelling as I did alone and on the way during a dinner hour, this business class makes sense.</em><br />
<span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003CYOG2O&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><br />
<em>I give Via train business class travel $$$$ 1/2 out of $$$$$.</em><br />
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Also I think there is a benefit to this travel in the middle of the winter because waiting in Union Station is extremely drafty. Once, I went to Toronto while ill to take part on a press conference and came back with pneumonia. I just wanted to sleep and had three hours to burn waiting for my train. Wish I had sprung for the business class then!<br />
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<em>The opinions on this blog are all my own.</em>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-75664195945069353192011-01-18T09:16:00.000-08:002011-01-18T09:16:48.156-08:00Last Minute Club and Saving Money While Seeing the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7KS9kfFjx_LGfTwmtZ6AZ5SxAfnNeNH5wAFMSRi6ieVCttQhyy8_a0HtSdEnDVeAJ0riwA4g3oR0dKS6PZVuMgTgmGF2vfX_usz6ANEL_mTraUdF-KrlrY6ZX4-uMZ6S2X9eosIvv18P/s1600/vinton4852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7KS9kfFjx_LGfTwmtZ6AZ5SxAfnNeNH5wAFMSRi6ieVCttQhyy8_a0HtSdEnDVeAJ0riwA4g3oR0dKS6PZVuMgTgmGF2vfX_usz6ANEL_mTraUdF-KrlrY6ZX4-uMZ6S2X9eosIvv18P/s320/vinton4852.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So maybe you are looking to travel this year, really keen to get away from all of this dreadful snow we are having. But the budget is tight and the economy still doesn't feel that great. Well, I have a couple of thoughts on that. There are a few ways to save money while seeing the world and one of those is <a href="http://www.lastminuteclub.com/">http://www.lastminuteclub.com/</a> Last year for the first year ever I signed up for Last Minute Club. The club is a travel clearinghouse of sorts. You may have seen those old newspaper ads for Last Minute Club in the Toronto newspapers. The club has been around since 1977 ad is a well known company, especially in Canada. Well, these days the deals are faster than ever and sometimes deeper than ever when you book them on line right from the source. So what is required? Visit the site and sign up. For a fee of $29.99 you get an annual classic membership and can book your trip after selecting one of the various deals available on line. You just need that membership number. There are other premium memberships too. But really I think the basic level classic membership is all that is needed and $30 plus tax is not much if you offset that by the crazy savings you can get. Think about it. If you are two people travelling and you save $500 (modest in terms of the deals here) then the $30 fee is a really great deal. Right now if you book a package vacation by Jan. 25th and sign up for the club you get a free DVD player. (Worth about $129 US) That caught my eye. It's a nice little freebie incentive. Now truth be told, I have used the club as a comparison shopping tool. The Last Minute club posts amazing deals and there are telephone representatives available to help. But when it came right down to booking the travel deal I went in to my agent that I occasionally use at Sears Travel and I told her the property I wanted and the time frame so she could get me the same deal posted on line. I also got $60 in Sears points by booking our travel arrangements that way. There are now some incentives to booking on line and placing your package costs on the MBNA master card. I would have no qualms about booking through Last Minute Club after using them once. But I like lots of options and I love to save. Just remember if you are going to place the total on any credit card for points or rebates, make sure you can pay it off almost immediately, otherwise the interest rates will make that vacation skyrocket.Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-83456821284048925542010-11-19T19:17:00.000-08:002010-11-19T19:17:16.603-08:00Top 5 Reasons to Rent a Timeshare: Guest Post<strong>Top 5 Reasons to Rent a Timeshare for your Vacation</strong><br />
<strong>by Joann Whetstine of Redweek</strong><br />
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The best-kept secret to affording a vacation at a luxury resort is - rent a timeshare. Timeshare rentals are perfect for families, retirees, girlfriend getaways, mancations, and even honeymoons. Here are the top 5 reasons to rent a timeshare for your vacation:<br />
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1. <strong>Budget-friendly</strong>. The amazing thing about renting a timeshare is that on a per person basis it can actually cost up to 50% less than a hotel room. When you rent a timeshare directly from the owner you can get a great deal on your vacation accommodations, allowing you to plan for a wonderful vacation within your budget.<br />
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2. <strong>Space.</strong> Who likes being cooped up in a cramped hotel room? This is especially difficult if you have children. Even a suite at a hotel doesn't give the room that an entire timeshare unit does.<br />
When you rent a timeshare you typically get separate bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, a patio or balcony, at least a couple of bathrooms, and a fully-equipped kitchen. It's like a home-away-from-home. The extra space allows everyone to spread out and relax. <br />
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3. <strong>Amenities</strong>. Timeshares are typically attached to resorts, and the cost of the timeshare rental includes the use of the resort's amenities. You'll be saving money and having fun at the same time. Instead of the one small pool and hot tub generally provided by a hotel, at the resort you'll have the choice of many different swimming pools, often with waterpark features. You'll also find kiddie pools and children's playgrounds. There might be tennis, golf, volleyball, bocci ball, and arcade game rooms. <br />
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4. <strong>Kitchen convenience</strong>. The fully-equipped kitchen can turn out to be one of your favorite features of a timeshare rental. First of all it allows you to save money on meals. You can prepare most meals in your timeshare thus preventing the high cost of eating out at restaurants three times a day. This is also a nice touch for families with food allergies. Eating in your own kitchen away from home means you don't have the worry of communicating food allergies to people in a strange city or country. You'll also enjoy the convenience. It's nice to be able to provide breakfast without having to get every one up, showered, dressed and out the door just for a bite to eat. And it's easy to prepare nutritious and filling snacks through out the day for those constantly hungry youngsters.<br />
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5.<strong> Availability.</strong> Timeshare rentals are available all over the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, Europe, and around the world. When you are planning your vacation, no matter where you intend to travel, you have a good chance of finding a reasonable timeshare rental. <br />
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Redweek.com is an online marketplace where owners list their timeshares for rent. Anyone looking for great accommodations can get a budget-friendly deal. Take a look through the listings and see the incredible bargains that are available: <a href="http://www.redweek.com/timeshare-rentals">http://www.redweek.com/timeshare-rentals</a><br />
.Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-61848734184467581702010-11-06T11:07:00.000-07:002010-11-06T11:07:10.225-07:00Mickey Moms Club: Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABrsBaVzqnccKxNTuuMpekQoJpG_d5clxeyvtjJnJ6qJRcnQ7OEbrcZZNQNYpO1iZ2SNYgBtNmSLJB_KrtFtxhC-1zE53HN5IGQCdeQrQLFSE-ULIjMNnwEeCjRg88VzzWSOOILZ-vwld/s1600/2010+oct.+21+shesconnected+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABrsBaVzqnccKxNTuuMpekQoJpG_d5clxeyvtjJnJ6qJRcnQ7OEbrcZZNQNYpO1iZ2SNYgBtNmSLJB_KrtFtxhC-1zE53HN5IGQCdeQrQLFSE-ULIjMNnwEeCjRg88VzzWSOOILZ-vwld/s320/2010+oct.+21+shesconnected+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Planning a trip to Disney? Never before have their been so many great tools to help you map out all of the details. When is the best time to go? Where should I stay? How long is the lineup for Soarin' at Epcot? Are there any special character meals I should plan for, and how far in advance do I need to book them? My child has a peanut allergy, where can we eat safely? How far am I from the nearest hospital should anything go wrong? Disney is one of my favourite destinations and companies. They do a lot of things really well. Their service is the best, top notch, the standard by which all other companies should measure themselves. One other thing they do amazingly well is social media. Disney has an on line team of Moms, a panel, always at the ready to respond to your questions. Their job as bloggers and team Mickey is to answer your questions. Visit Disney.ca and click on Moms Panel. Many of these Moms are Disney experts, who travel there routinely and know all the ins and outs. Once a year Disney puts the call out for a Moms panel and they typically receive thousands of responses. This year Kelli from The Yummy Mummy Club reminded me it was time for Disney to put out the call for applications and so I applied. Last month I found out I hadn't made the cut. But that won't stop me from applying again in the future. I adore Disney for all that they do well. The new Disney Moms Panel is to be unveiled soon and in the mean time anyone who applied is a member of the MickeyMomsClub with special access to more tips, maps and other kid's activities on line. Next year, if you are a tried and true Mouseketeer apply to join the panel and add your expertise to the formidable group. (Tip: I think they run this contest every fall and they quiz you on Disney trivia, so be prepared. Also you need to have been to Disney within the past 12 months. The Disney company is very good to their panel and flies them at least once a year to the resort for a Moms media event.) In the mean time I am now a MickeyMomsClub member. I have a giveaway to share that I picked up at Type A Mom conference. (See the pink bag full of Mickey Mouse Mom's goodies above.) Included is a photo album brag book, some travel candles, and handy purse-sized hand gels and other goodies. It's a nice little travel bag kit.)<br />
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Open to Canada and U.S. I will draw for the winner Nov. 20th with random.org. Good luck!<br />
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To enter:<br />
1. Follow me on twitter. @inkscrblr<br />
2. Follow thriftymommagogo (see GFC on side here.)<br />
3. Leave me your email so I can contact you when you win.<br />
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Good Luck!Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-6351450620073457922010-10-04T16:48:00.000-07:002010-10-09T17:46:17.034-07:00Asheville, North Carolina: Colourful and One of a Kind <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqTHhB36YLKSnorUNimqqzML2FtXeNnK0UgrxbbVhyphenhyphenfvRbWVtQB9RQWC6DigNHDihc7lbXNL5a1bRYp1UP-yluQaToP7raD0NQNRpoe2ZNapOJrcPW-rPIDatH7gfiQhDisUx4QOJo2MW/s1600/9-26-2010_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqTHhB36YLKSnorUNimqqzML2FtXeNnK0UgrxbbVhyphenhyphenfvRbWVtQB9RQWC6DigNHDihc7lbXNL5a1bRYp1UP-yluQaToP7raD0NQNRpoe2ZNapOJrcPW-rPIDatH7gfiQhDisUx4QOJo2MW/s320/9-26-2010_004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The home of famous American author Thomas Wolfe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Asheville is a friendly, warm southern state filled with colourful stories, great restaurants and even more colourful characters.<em> </em>On arriving in Asheville, North Carolina, I encountered a group of musicians picking up their instruments from the baggage carousel. That's not something you see every day in London, Ontario where we try hard to hide our artsy secret lives beneath business suits or day jobs. Cab driver Tom Grandy confirms Asheville is a liberal, artistic, outdoorsy, community surrounded by states that are much less liberal in their politics. In fact located between mountain ranges the area is known as an energy mecca for artists of all sorts. It draws legions of practicing pagans and wiccans every year as well. Asheville is the largest city in Western, North Carolina, with great picturesque mountain ranges and hiking trails. In the winter there is skiing and in summer the rivers and golf courses draw some to the area. There is no end to the number of fun outdoorsy activities to enjoy with family. Zip Lining, mountain biking, sightseeing and hiking are healthy ways to spend the afternoon. From the street performers to the cab drivers, everyone has a story to tell. Some famed Hollywood stars are rumoured to have homes here, like Sandra Bullock and Andie McDowell. Cabby Tom Grandy is often called on when celebs like Gladys Knight and her family fly into the small town. About 70,000 people call this city home. It is tricky to get to for those of you, who, like me, are from Canada. There are no flights without stopovers and the drive from most places in southern Ontario is well over 12 hours straight through. But it is nonetheless a popular spot for other Americans and Canadians who don't mind the drive. I flew to Asheville for the Type A Mom conference recently and wished I'd brought family with me when I heard of the enjoyable hiking trails. If I were to travel here agin I would be tempted to drive with the whole family as flying was an ordeal with numerous stopovers and delays. A slower scenic drive might be more fun, when done with a group and with a couple of strategic tourist stops on the way. A fall trip to the mountains is majestic especially if timed to witness the changing foliage. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, the climate in Asheville is temperate. Snow falls in the winter, but there are few snowstorms. Downtown Asheville is a thriving and beautiful spot to visit, whether on foot, by car, or inside one of the fun tourist buses. Street performers and artists lend the dynamic core a vibrant tone and life. Downtown there is an amazing drum circle every Friday evening that is brilliant. The small shops and mom and pop operations have lasted for years. Remarkably they have resisted change and the overall effect is a powerful lesson in civic planning. Asheville's downtown doesn't contain the big name stores that some places rely so heavily on, but it is vibrant and magnificent, one of a kind. Asheville architecture is unique, with many buildings remarkably preserved from the 1800s. Restaurants are plentiful and also varied in their themes. One evening we had the chance to dine at Chai Pani on Indian food. The atmosphere was fantastic, prices and service good and the food itself even better. Before you leave take a trip to the top of Skybar, also on Battery Park Avenue. Inside, there is a quaint old fashioned elevator, equipped with an operator, and a ride to the top will net you the best view in town. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IyBk1ziDlS6ZKnL6e5qcomU26R4trIiuQK1cbMW4FAy4Xw1O1RDGtFoj2MviBLqIboU0NU1vE6a-oSaXRiK7u9NY_64JV_QOdQT9v5hNHokHdusA0wCeA1UGzLKVSGONAA-oyy4sMvIw/s1600/9-26-2010_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IyBk1ziDlS6ZKnL6e5qcomU26R4trIiuQK1cbMW4FAy4Xw1O1RDGtFoj2MviBLqIboU0NU1vE6a-oSaXRiK7u9NY_64JV_QOdQT9v5hNHokHdusA0wCeA1UGzLKVSGONAA-oyy4sMvIw/s320/9-26-2010_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A street performer on Thursday night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Asheville is a place know for its art galleries, and is one of the only airports I've ever been in that boasts its own gallery. Culturally, it is a distinct community that offers a lot and takes some of its homespun flavour from the Appalachians. The Biltmore Estate is located here in Asheville, and if time permits, it is a piece of history that should be taken in. Known as the biggest home ever built in the United States and once lived in by the VanderBilt family, it has over 200 rooms and the house itself is a grand, opulent, chateau - an American castle. It has been temporary setting to many movies over the past sixty or so years and was opened to the public as a tourist attraction back in the 1930s. I didn't know what to expect of this city before I visited. It was a charming place to visit and I would recommend it for a fun family adventure, especially if your family enjoys getting outdoors. A jewel of the Carolinas, Asheville is well worth the visit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQy42rcrgFsEdI-f_UeBw0dSKQ_SDTSdQFgWHWxzwMCrspIKv_vk8Yj_SnkJXBYBvZNJS2ZAHLXFRdFu2Yp8IBR9g9xHlDFigKByZuP8L1HHIVeNaAoDOtq0iTzcKHT4CcAIvhyphenhyphennjvQzIK/s1600/9-26-2010_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQy42rcrgFsEdI-f_UeBw0dSKQ_SDTSdQFgWHWxzwMCrspIKv_vk8Yj_SnkJXBYBvZNJS2ZAHLXFRdFu2Yp8IBR9g9xHlDFigKByZuP8L1HHIVeNaAoDOtq0iTzcKHT4CcAIvhyphenhyphennjvQzIK/s320/9-26-2010_005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the architecture is well preserved and dates to the 1800s</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-5057630403179980302010-09-06T18:00:00.000-07:002010-09-06T18:06:36.045-07:00Blue Mountain Collingwood and Plunge!<object height="226" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/157999944210163" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/157999944210163" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="226"></embed></object><br />
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Blue Mountain Collingwood is a spot I haven't visited since I was maybe 12 years old. When the opportunity came up to check out Blue Mountain this past weekend we were curious to see how things had changed. With my Lay's Chip Trips once again, we were able to save a few bucks on this trip. In total a day for four at Plunge is about $42. We saved on one free child's admission. It was a lovely treat to stay in Weider Lodge at the base of Blue Mountain and Plunge was a hoot. I'd very much recommend this venue for kids even younger than ours. Plunge is an aquatic area with a plunge pool, a couple of water features indoors and pools outside. There are numerous hot tubs for all ages and, as you can see in the video, even spouses can enjoy the rope swing into the deep end. Modelled after old style boathouses, Plunge is quaint and picturesque. There are many Plunge! packages that come with a stay here. I would say this water park is more suited to children even younger than ours. It's like a starter water park. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOJWLt71TBxQG8QAvZlKTVLpEKohHEgAzubU28KK92mRCh6DYTwg7P72EO1qe-_rqA60LAK_cJb6kG_QuQsazMOM7qWWVTrDI_W8uWpzA-GtDaSmI7mCESNT-ycLXBDy9aTZKoNYBFtMs/s1600/Lays_Chip_Trips_button_large-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOJWLt71TBxQG8QAvZlKTVLpEKohHEgAzubU28KK92mRCh6DYTwg7P72EO1qe-_rqA60LAK_cJb6kG_QuQsazMOM7qWWVTrDI_W8uWpzA-GtDaSmI7mCESNT-ycLXBDy9aTZKoNYBFtMs/s1600/Lays_Chip_Trips_button_large-1.png" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0vxEY2eTZnMHW9qfHpxrHPe__yBEXO6ufc-M1eWeQi1YuJLZx6oPI30cLZ3CiTU7QP0wbckj6QgTqwl09XsPCXfh93avakypxdImsnHjytFCnB1-u5xgrA_huQrF9WCKPoyvtmHbTNn6/s1600/august+2010sept+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0vxEY2eTZnMHW9qfHpxrHPe__yBEXO6ufc-M1eWeQi1YuJLZx6oPI30cLZ3CiTU7QP0wbckj6QgTqwl09XsPCXfh93avakypxdImsnHjytFCnB1-u5xgrA_huQrF9WCKPoyvtmHbTNn6/s320/august+2010sept+022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The village at the base of Blue Mountain is amazing. Excellent and unique shops include Hatley's Scoops, an ice cream parlour with Hatley's merchandise. We timed it so that the gorgeous children's wear and adult's equestrain - themed items were on sale half price. That was unexpected and a lovely little highlight. Picked up cute little horse rainboats for my daughter who does therapeutic riding programs and loves horses. Restaurants here are pricey. Luckily the drive to town is very short and many restaurants are affordable there. Also many rooms come with kitchenettes. Before we left town we were able to take the gondola up the mountains ($20) for four of us and hike throughout the moutains up top. This was a lot more fun that I thought it would be, but bring proper hiking shoes for kids if you plan to do this. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23NONuSdRfKT5eXzj9uSvUqvtdYbhDm0Sxy0omiTA9gGZLAWYEFQPlqDlo00Z8s2YjBYUkvGqQod_P8KvPS07EfEq6NUIKbLu4vakuHX7TeTZsJA-saPil94aZ99fqdnRNO9CU6ewEEY7/s1600/august+2010sept+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23NONuSdRfKT5eXzj9uSvUqvtdYbhDm0Sxy0omiTA9gGZLAWYEFQPlqDlo00Z8s2YjBYUkvGqQod_P8KvPS07EfEq6NUIKbLu4vakuHX7TeTZsJA-saPil94aZ99fqdnRNO9CU6ewEEY7/s320/august+2010sept+040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More big chairs or Holy Smokes the kids shrank again!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuL_6OoH3SgqJIJ9ZffKFV945ga6I_KQGXgCao65JWEavhO7A6E5D45aB_0r4XFEF0k14ioEcNKqRP5oogU_tPhayYADFOI2CsmAqARdBy52LXQxC8JK4__7MSGxHEKJ6lhjfRO0eW_0o/s1600/august+2010sept+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuL_6OoH3SgqJIJ9ZffKFV945ga6I_KQGXgCao65JWEavhO7A6E5D45aB_0r4XFEF0k14ioEcNKqRP5oogU_tPhayYADFOI2CsmAqARdBy52LXQxC8JK4__7MSGxHEKJ6lhjfRO0eW_0o/s320/august+2010sept+053.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking at the top of Blue Mountain: An unexpected treat, but leave your Crocs at home.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We arrived on Saturday and there were horse-drawn carriage rides being offered. Also there is rock climbing and mountain biking and an endless array of activities for all ages. Weider Lodge was affordable for a two-night stay (under $500 for the four of us in a bachelor suite with fully stocked kitchen.) It was a chalet style room and quite nice, but the beds were hard and kids slept on a pullout sofabed. Before we left Collingwood, we visited the Westin Trillium House, a newer building that is cleaner and simply a lot nicer. The rooms were spacious and much more modern with TVs in every room. Next time I would choose a stay here instead - even if that meant paying a bit more. Blue Mountain Resorts, owned by Intrawest, are clustered around the village. One building is Weider Lodge in Blue Mountain Inn and the rest of the buildings have other names. Westin Trillium House is about a two-minute walk from Weider Lodge. For kids there is a playground, a pool at every lodging resort building, and scheduled events if you time it right. We just missed the outdoor movie night, but I am plotting for next year already. The town square has a cute fountain that's essentially a very small splash pad. There is something to do every season at Blue Mountain. In the fall there are numerous festivals. There are some truly lovely opportunities to enjoy Collingwood throughout September and October. The Apple Festival is one highlight I would head back for if money were unlimited here at my house. In the winter of course Collingwood is well known to skiers. I highly recommend this venue and will come back. <br />
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<em>$$$$$ out of $$$$$ thriftymommas rating. For more about Lay's Chip Trips visit <a href="http://tiny.cc/7hud0">http://tiny.cc/7hud0</a></em><br />
<em>For more about Blue Mountain visit <a href="http://www/.bluemountain.ca/">http://www/.bluemountain.ca/</a></em><br />
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<em>I am participating in the Lay's Chip Trips program by Mom Central on behalf of Frito Lay Canada. I received Lay's Chip Trips and a gift card to offset my trip costs to facilitate this post. The opinions on this blog are my own.</em>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-57245344230983187372010-08-25T17:34:00.000-07:002010-08-25T17:34:59.968-07:00Bruce County Museum Prehistoric Sea Monsters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last year I spent some time blogging about the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre in Southampton. At that time there was an amazing dinosaur exhibit. This year, when we once again found ourselves back at the cottage, we wondered how they might top last year's animatronic dinos and BBC film. Well, somehow they did it with prehistoric sea monsters larger than life. (See Payton below.) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvr-wdzhdkJh-fTngU3oJSK9OqpUYQu4S0KR4DFnLrSN_V2ufqRaQnKTmw4W5I_eoeHpcm-QKfS0OhEgF1AUgcmiSh6altd_QA2-0VwL996SQQ3zLqQIXGsUcz_qeOoxp4sWmcD47Ivd5O/s1600/cottage+2010+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvr-wdzhdkJh-fTngU3oJSK9OqpUYQu4S0KR4DFnLrSN_V2ufqRaQnKTmw4W5I_eoeHpcm-QKfS0OhEgF1AUgcmiSh6altd_QA2-0VwL996SQQ3zLqQIXGsUcz_qeOoxp4sWmcD47Ivd5O/s320/cottage+2010+099.JPG" width="320" /></a>If you are still heading for the beach between now and September 6th, when the exhibit ends, you should find a way to visit this one. <span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000RW3V70&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>It was well worth it and more than a bit scary. There is an excellent documentary recreation of prehistoric sea life in the theatre. Try to take the tour of fairy lake and take pictures, not souvenirs. The price is more than most are worth, but admission is reasonable and the adventure is educational. T</span>he Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre is located at 33 Victoria Street North in Southampton, On. It's only half an hour from Sauble Beach and Port Elgin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Hours are: Mon. to Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.<br />
Sundays and Holidays: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. <br />
Admission: Adult: $8.00, Seniors and Students are $6. Children under 12 are $4. Three and under free.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyY-TxITtuV812QDJD10LhYn6ewK1KChhjBtz-4A1YPQp8qCfghUP2uqDyEEUuGLk_galkXpIWRU5vOjBdkMlkKE_rUCvmTdllUVxkwwAD4uiam_wXXFO4HyfZH0crZDd3280ljVSKdVU/s1600/cottage+2010+089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyY-TxITtuV812QDJD10LhYn6ewK1KChhjBtz-4A1YPQp8qCfghUP2uqDyEEUuGLk_galkXpIWRU5vOjBdkMlkKE_rUCvmTdllUVxkwwAD4uiam_wXXFO4HyfZH0crZDd3280ljVSKdVU/s320/cottage+2010+089.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Thriftymommas rating $$$$ out of $$$$$. <br />
Wonder what they'll come up with next year??!!<br />
<span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1426200854&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003WYXJ1S&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span></span>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-80167050275299608542010-08-14T08:22:00.000-07:002010-08-14T08:22:50.038-07:00Cottages: How to Save Money<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcf1eSZKHSqAdg1rhE2sWqg9eEwIwBynC0nHJhyphenhyphenb5Pi-qgsUkgtjI_G5qMcbvJ9NC8VFmIbmYs_8JjYv57Jdp_Na3nUas5cNwi_KyU8Tn3xGk_wh_ecbSAbzSau-l6PI3MiMkbUcsLTLQ/s1600/ainsley+pix+summer+2009+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcf1eSZKHSqAdg1rhE2sWqg9eEwIwBynC0nHJhyphenhyphenb5Pi-qgsUkgtjI_G5qMcbvJ9NC8VFmIbmYs_8JjYv57Jdp_Na3nUas5cNwi_KyU8Tn3xGk_wh_ecbSAbzSau-l6PI3MiMkbUcsLTLQ/s320/ainsley+pix+summer+2009+033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It is a truly Canadian tradition - that of heading to the cottage every year to soak up our two months of summer. Let's face it, this is a unique Canadian thing. There may be cottages in other lands, but we have perfected this idea of escape. I have been doing this every summer from the time I was a toddler and it is at the very least a habit for us. We meet extended family once a year and crowd into a tiny cottage, barbecuing food, and roasting ourselves on the beach. My children are now accustomed to this every August. As we head there again this weekend, I have a few thoughts to share on saving money at the beach. People always ask us do you rent or own? We rent each year. I have always found word of mouth is the best way to find a clean and affordable spot. My mother, a retired teacher, has been able to find us a very affordable spot each year. We have never paid more than $500 a week. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12IAL0-9HUQOxqITFX-eAwzXoMhT3wLAgmk1Ajq92CHyi5mjoyUTg1CTONQdA5yUhS7NdFsPgCbiogUHnOLSt7JpSTjBTQlTgUZ9iJaznsyPKcT4DxFWVIMGlyNVd2yz3zIBBLGsQpHec/s1600/cottage+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12IAL0-9HUQOxqITFX-eAwzXoMhT3wLAgmk1Ajq92CHyi5mjoyUTg1CTONQdA5yUhS7NdFsPgCbiogUHnOLSt7JpSTjBTQlTgUZ9iJaznsyPKcT4DxFWVIMGlyNVd2yz3zIBBLGsQpHec/s400/cottage+048.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>There have, over the last few years, cropped up a number of web sites that also offer cottage rentals. Some I have spent hours searching for a decent rate. Many begin at $1200 per week per family. <a href="http://www.ontarioswestcoast.ca/">http://www.ontarioswestcoast.ca/</a> gives a run down on Huron Shores cottages<br />
and <a href="http://www.rentcottage.com/">http://www.rentcottage.com/</a> has been in business since 1995. This site was formerly called the Bruce Peninsula Huron Shores Cottage Rentals. This one has several quality cottages in Port Elgin, Goderich and Southampton area.<br />
The newspaper is another option. Often people post their properties there, but these tend to go quickly. Kijiji, Craigslist and other sites like these are options as well. They can be hit and miss and you may be relying on pictures that are hopefully accurate to make your decision. There are always options to buy, but the properties are extremely expensive. There are options to build or buy cottages in Sauble Beach area on land owned by First Nations people. This is an affordable way to do it if you don't mind knowing that you own your property and yet not the land on which it is built. The hotels and motels book fast in the area and are often not as enjoyable or family friendly as cottages where you can cook for yourselves and save some money. So I guess what<em> </em>I am saying is that when it comes to cottages: it's all about who you know not what you know.Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-33470615605996149752010-08-11T06:43:00.000-07:002010-08-11T06:48:42.531-07:00Kobo and Fairmont: An Intriguing PartnershipThis is one of the coolest partnerships in travel amenities and publishing that I have seen in some time here at thriftymommagogo. Today Kobo, the ereading service sold far and wide at Chapters/ Indigo and Wal-Mart, among other retail outlets, announced it has partnered with Fairmont hotels and Random House. Fairmont Gold travellers will be permitted use of a Kobo preloaded with numerous popular fiction and non fiction titles carried by Random House. Kobo and Fairmont recognize that travellers occasionally forget their books, or don't want to travel with bulky heavy hardcovers. <span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003UE4A86&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span>Let's face it hardcovers can weight the luggage down a fair bit. So, thinking out of the box and planning for the future, Kobo, Random House and Fairmont have made Kobo ereaders available on check in at select properties in the US and Canada. The ereaders will be loaded with reads by Alexander McCall Smith, Sophie Kinsella and Bret Easton Ellis. Fairmont Gold is described in a press release as "a private, dedicated area offering guests the experience of an exclusive oasis with personalized service and enhanced amenities." Upon returning the Kobo eReader, guests will receive a special offer for $2 off select Random House titles redeemable at <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/randomhouse">www.kobobooks.com/randomhouse</a>. The opportunity to try a Kobo ereader is a benefit of belonging to the Fairmont President’s Club (FPC), the brand’s guest loyalty program. It is free to join and it provides guests with special benefits and privileges designed to reflect individual travel preferences and offer an enhanced level of service. Benefits include private check-in, complimentary room upgrades, and high-speed and wireless Internet access. <span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003NHPC1E&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span>Guests can enroll at time of booking or online at www.fairmont.com/fpc. For more information on the Kobo visit <a href="http://www.thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/">http://www.thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/</a> for a full review. Thriftymomma was lucky enough to have one here to try out for three weeks. It was a true treat! The KOBO retails on average for about $149, but as recent as last weekeend this was marked down to $128 at both Wal-Mart and Chapters. I love that all three of these companies, Fairmont, Random House and Kobo, are thinking globally outside the box with a eye to the future. This clearly enhances a guest's stay at Fairmont and is very clever branding. What a smart move!<br />
<span></span>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-19360321773544025522010-07-21T11:21:00.000-07:002010-07-21T11:21:59.780-07:00Ripley's Museum - Niagara Falls<span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf3hciGI6GlFHk9sjUHvq4uHk2EtCcj-2XS1vg8M4NQhQHqbm6Ed97X3lroOkjCupWeNeslSnHzNxBJd2SlDFCnststkNGEc1bAT-TndKM8xltT8y5T5Kqs6ojjszkQzpRVTCr6ePxisy/s1600/100_1601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf3hciGI6GlFHk9sjUHvq4uHk2EtCcj-2XS1vg8M4NQhQHqbm6Ed97X3lroOkjCupWeNeslSnHzNxBJd2SlDFCnststkNGEc1bAT-TndKM8xltT8y5T5Kqs6ojjszkQzpRVTCr6ePxisy/s320/100_1601.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Where can you read about the tallest man ever recorded to have lived? Where can you see the biggest prehistoric shark teeth? Where can you spy a model of the chair a man flew threw the air in a la the movie Up!? A portrait made from dryer lint? Replicas of the strangest grave stones ever and the weird rhymes engraved on them? Why Ripley's __ Believe it or Not! Museum, of course, in Niagara Falls. Located right on the main strip of crazy spectacles dubbed Clifton Hill in the downtown Falls area, this museum can't be missed. The outside is an optical illusion of sorts, built to appear as if the building is tipped sideways (and tricky to photograph) and the inside is a history of the bizarre. For whatever reason, my children are obsessed with the crazy, bizarre, odd trivia contained in Guinness World Books and Ripley's Believe It Or Not. <span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0439306175&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span>Some of it makes me sick to my stomach over breakfast, usually when they are reading and perusing the garish photographs in said books, but truly if you asked my child what was the name of the tallest person ever, well she would kind of freakishly regurgitate that information. (I think if TV trivia shows are around when she is older like Jeopardy, she may earn her keep yet.) Anyways as my faithful readers know we recently travelled to the Falls for a fun graduation/ end of school vacation weekend at Great Wolf Lodge and Waterpark. <span></span>We had never been to the Ripley's Museum, and so we decided that we would pay it a visit too. Thanks to Lay's Chip Trips, which I have been blogging about here all summer, we got a discounted deal. <span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=043969146X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOJWLt71TBxQG8QAvZlKTVLpEKohHEgAzubU28KK92mRCh6DYTwg7P72EO1qe-_rqA60LAK_cJb6kG_QuQsazMOM7qWWVTrDI_W8uWpzA-GtDaSmI7mCESNT-ycLXBDy9aTZKoNYBFtMs/s1600/Lays_Chip_Trips_button_large-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOJWLt71TBxQG8QAvZlKTVLpEKohHEgAzubU28KK92mRCh6DYTwg7P72EO1qe-_rqA60LAK_cJb6kG_QuQsazMOM7qWWVTrDI_W8uWpzA-GtDaSmI7mCESNT-ycLXBDy9aTZKoNYBFtMs/s1600/Lays_Chip_Trips_button_large-1.png" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One free child's admission was good to save us about $7. It was a once, or twice, in a lifetime kind of visit, so it was a fun diversion one night. The place was packed and the line up was very large to get in, so if you visit I might be tempted to do so during the daylight hours on a weekday. The cashier was clearly overwhelmed. For more information on how to get chip trips discounts visit Lays.ca or <a href="http://tiny.cc/7hudO">http://tiny.cc/7hudO</a> The prices of admission vary depending on your age and also the number of Ripley's features you visit. The more Ripley's landmarks that you tour, the lower the amount per entry per person. We only did the one museum, because it was all we had time for that day. The cost of admission per adult there was $13.99 and children were $6.99. Some ages were cheaper.<em> Thriftymommas review $$$ out of $$$$$ (Fun and freakish. To see it, is to believe it. But a bit pricey. Thanks to Lay's Chip Trips for making this one affordable for us. Also note if you are staying at a nearby motel pick up some tourist information that gives you coupons for freebies. We had one with us good for one free wax hand souvenir.)</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdU66kmVbqLwz0PV0PH7vrez9a75L9Wf8oBG3gJ0hTEKm-auwjs6Dvv-qArJy4i-tFwqu07DEgXSWgy32UBvCC_V0_7TPxhGNz7GrJjeikh26jbcvI4P_szEHbSwLF3EFU8NxAx1Z_VFM/s1600/Horseshoe_Falls_from_Fallsview_hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdU66kmVbqLwz0PV0PH7vrez9a75L9Wf8oBG3gJ0hTEKm-auwjs6Dvv-qArJy4i-tFwqu07DEgXSWgy32UBvCC_V0_7TPxhGNz7GrJjeikh26jbcvI4P_szEHbSwLF3EFU8NxAx1Z_VFM/s320/Horseshoe_Falls_from_Fallsview_hotel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0000A2ZU5&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><em>I am participating in the Lay's Chip Trips program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Frito Lay Canada. I received Lays Chip Trip points and a gift card to off-set the costs incurred to facilitate this post. The opinions on this blog are my own. </em>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-46654599152964929362010-07-14T12:16:00.000-07:002010-07-14T12:16:45.589-07:00Welcome Wednesday and Waterpark Love<center><a href="http://takeitfrom-me.blogspot.com/search/label/Welcome%20Wednesday"><img src="http://i952.photobucket.com/albums/ae7/KWynder/WelcomeWednesday.jpg" /></a></center><br />
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I am bringing Welcome Wednesday here with hopes of introducing more readers to my well received travel blog. Follow <a href="http://www.takeitfrom-me.blogspot.com/">http://www.takeitfrom-me.blogspot.com/</a> for more information about Welcome Wednesday. Also today I am including my water park roundup...As some of you know, I blog for Mom Central Canada and have been promoting Lay's Chip Trips. I posted my review of Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls recently on main blog at <a href="http://www.thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/">http://www.thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/</a> There are many worthy family-friendly locations at the falls and this one was totally worth the drive. I am a big fan on family water park fun and we have visited a few of these excellent spots. Americana in Niagara Falls is a great one to start with and gets a solid 3-4 stars for price and cleanliness. (Excellent deals on now, also you can get park passes with Lay's Chip Trips. Great Wolf was a blast. I rated that one mostly four and five stars. Amazing catering to families. Storytime was excellent and the rooms adorable. This is a picture of the pool below. Lay's Chip Trips can be used here too. Last year we visited Fort Rapids in Columbus, Ohio and it was a solid 3-4 stars too. The water park was the highlight of that adventure. Rooms left a little to be desired in terms of cleanliness. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ygO3-Uu5AQ2tt7IB63Ieu_EzWtsAGREIv3HAsVC4u9L1Uf27m5qQ7uNFjLRCfbGfywQ5bA_ERcuOJV-xXxicRB744qUXPMk3SWKvNDQk_IcUa3R1ys50mfqiu2ZE5kHfDMsx3EUZ_XA6/s1600/100_1580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ygO3-Uu5AQ2tt7IB63Ieu_EzWtsAGREIv3HAsVC4u9L1Uf27m5qQ7uNFjLRCfbGfywQ5bA_ERcuOJV-xXxicRB744qUXPMk3SWKvNDQk_IcUa3R1ys50mfqiu2ZE5kHfDMsx3EUZ_XA6/s320/100_1580.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Kalahari remains on my list of not yet reviewed or visited...but I hear good things. Do you hear that Kalahari? PR welcome here.Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-66115067323737542852010-07-10T11:23:00.000-07:002010-07-10T11:26:28.547-07:00Niagara Falls - Americana Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIj1lGcCtolmOpTFSbFyAQxZ2-EEZrDMIv4W7DT5nBxDI_mUCY7D90aEFHq4V6fd3Guu5-hurgfBYm84tiUic3SImcytNewavneYQgkqqmYj4CQlfS7uQyU_MLeZP8WwQDb2RCH1afOhL-/s1600/allincl-newsletter_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIj1lGcCtolmOpTFSbFyAQxZ2-EEZrDMIv4W7DT5nBxDI_mUCY7D90aEFHq4V6fd3Guu5-hurgfBYm84tiUic3SImcytNewavneYQgkqqmYj4CQlfS7uQyU_MLeZP8WwQDb2RCH1afOhL-/s320/allincl-newsletter_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Three years ago we decided to take our young family to the falls for a fun birthday/graduation celebration. Great Wolf Lodge was fairly new and we were novices at waterparks anyways. Truly, we weren't sure how a little girl with SPD (sensory processing disorder) and a variety of other diagnoses would manage all that input at three-years-old. So we opted for an affordable spot called the Americana Waterpark Resort. Well, we loved it. We stayed there for two nights under $250 a night and visited Marineland for the first time and just really truly created lovely memories. Americana sends thriftymommastips periodic notices of deals and events and one arrived this week so I thought I would share with you. I give this water park a solid 4 out of 5 for affordability and fun. It's not Kalahari or Great Wolf or Detroit or Ohio worthy excitement. But it sure is affordable and it's a really good place to start. I would definitely go back. Rooms are clean and spacious. Waterslides are fun, a bit smaller and maybe geared more to young children, not preteens or teens. There is a splash area and for tots who like water a very nice toddler waterslide assortment. Food was yummy and location is not bad. Central to everything. So here's the deal. Stay, play and eat for $259 a night. Breakfast, a pizza party and an all included family feast is included with the price. This is a very good deal! Call 1-866-707-0030 to reserve at Americana. Also Americana day passes are available with Lay's chip trips reward points. <br />
For more information on that visit Lay's ca or <a href="http://tiny.cc/7hudO">http://tiny.cc/7hudO</a><br />
Americana Conference Resort & Spa - 8444 Lundy's Lane Niagara Falls, ON L2H1H4Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-4416350103905779752010-06-22T11:38:00.000-07:002010-06-22T11:38:41.968-07:00Bingemans Grand Experiences and Lays Chip Trips<object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/139169132759911" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/139169132759911" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br />
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This was too funny for me to resist putting here and frankly here goes Mommy's first attempt at vlogging. Be afraid! Be very afraid! I took my family on a day trip to Bingemans in Kitchener. It's a waterpark, amusement park, camp site with splash pad and various other fun things. For full review come visit <a href="http://www.thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/">http://www.thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/</a> Also I saved money because I am totally rocking the Lay's Chip Trips promos this summer. For more on that go here: <a href="http://tiny.cc/7hud0">http://tiny.cc/7hud0</a>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-35956983997772928882010-06-09T08:37:00.000-07:002010-06-09T08:38:00.632-07:00Niagara Falls for Family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdU66kmVbqLwz0PV0PH7vrez9a75L9Wf8oBG3gJ0hTEKm-auwjs6Dvv-qArJy4i-tFwqu07DEgXSWgy32UBvCC_V0_7TPxhGNz7GrJjeikh26jbcvI4P_szEHbSwLF3EFU8NxAx1Z_VFM/s1600/Horseshoe_Falls_from_Fallsview_hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdU66kmVbqLwz0PV0PH7vrez9a75L9Wf8oBG3gJ0hTEKm-auwjs6Dvv-qArJy4i-tFwqu07DEgXSWgy32UBvCC_V0_7TPxhGNz7GrJjeikh26jbcvI4P_szEHbSwLF3EFU8NxAx1Z_VFM/s320/Horseshoe_Falls_from_Fallsview_hotel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There are so many awesome ways to fill the days in the summer when the kids are home from school. But this year, for sure one of our adventures will lead us back to Niagara Falls. The Falls are remarkable entirely on their own and I still have vivid memories of visiting this well known tourist attraction and natural wonder from when I was a school-aged child. Many years in a row we would drive to the falls from Guelph and stay over at a family-friendly cheap motel then on to Marineland - one of the other best things about this place. When my oldest daughter turned six we drove for the first time as a family of four to the falls and stayed for the weekend at Americana WaterPark, a spot I adored for its lovely rooms and its excellent prices. The cost was quite affordable and our weekend was a blast as we played much of the day and night at the indoor waterslides inside the very exciting Waves Waterpark, with retractable roof, and then enjoyed dinner on the premises at Jack Tanner's. It was memorable for a couple of reasons. We had a great birthday celebration for my six-year-old and she ate so much she threw up later that evening. Televisions at each table and a make your own Sundae bar were incredible and a really great treat. Thankfully she awakened ready to rock and roll the next morning and we spent a fantastic day at Marineland riding rides. My kids loved the whales, especially the Belugas. While Marineland's prices have increased considerably from the time I was a child, there are ways to save money at the park. Bring your own water and snacks. Even if you have to leave a cooler full of them in the car you will still be able to get back into the park with a stamp or some other proof you've been there. Also Attractions Ontario every year produces a great booklet filled with coupons. We always clip these coupons and I think we saved close to $20 off our admissions with that. I would eagerly return to Americana. Rooms were clean and affordable and the driving from London was not bad. This year we will be able to stay at Great Wolf Lodge thanks to Lay's Chip Trips and Mom Central Canada. With 50 points from chip trips we were able to get a voucher for 50 % off our second night stay at Great Wolf. We have a free child pass for Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum ( which our children were too little for last time around, but will be reallykeen on this time.) The free pass also came courtesy of the Chip Trips promo from Lay's. Other options are: Marriott motel stays in the area at a greatly reduced price and Americana Waterpark vouchers. I can't wait to create lasting memories again with our family. For more information on Lay's Chip trips or to sign up see here: <a href="http://tiny.cc/7hudo">http://tiny.cc/7hudo</a> For more information about Great Wolf Lodge see here <a href="http://www.greatwolf.com/">http://www.greatwolf.com/</a><br />
and for more on Americana Conference Resort and Spa with Waves indoor waterpark see here <a href="http://www.americananiagara.com/">http://www.americananiagara.com/</a>. If you go to Niagara Falls for the Canada Day weekend as we did one year make sure to pack some lawn chairs or blankets and head down to the falls for the amazing fireworks display. It is the best display I've ever seen and something to witness at least once.<br />
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<em>I am participating in the Lay's Chip Trips promotion on behalf of Frito-Lay and Mom Central Canada. I received points to redeem for the trips I blog about and a gift card to offset costs. The opinions on the blog show nere are all my own.</em>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-18724158612718694932010-06-03T18:17:00.000-07:002010-06-03T18:17:53.522-07:00Last Chance Atlantis Deal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9L7oNluKv1mQWKTTCEdLqQvbM88SkrGqdkjvglB5LbWjg-JwO6Je5rkW0JIYu1x1aOs2bqmuNuJJPKvzlp4tMZHeat2f4c-cANUuecdxJhtQ3CsRJmZt1jwsvjMybQJoYPYyeMvmqzf8G/s1600/postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9L7oNluKv1mQWKTTCEdLqQvbM88SkrGqdkjvglB5LbWjg-JwO6Je5rkW0JIYu1x1aOs2bqmuNuJJPKvzlp4tMZHeat2f4c-cANUuecdxJhtQ3CsRJmZt1jwsvjMybQJoYPYyeMvmqzf8G/s400/postcard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Now thrifymomma has yet to make it to this excellent resort, but wanted to pass this on to my readers before it's too late. The Atlantis is extremely buzzworthy and I totally plan to get there some day when I win the lottery. Just joking. I think this one is doable and affordable if you book it when there is an excellent deal like this. Companion airfare is free only if you book by tomorrow, June 4th. For travel between now and Dec. 22, 2010. Also this deal is only good for stays that last at least four nights or more. Atlantis is the incredible celebrity-magnet on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. It has extensive water features and marine animals and this year opened a new kid's club. Atlantis Kid's Adventures is just for kids and also new Fantasy Camps. Atlantis is legendary for its big name concerts and this month alone, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber are playing live. So what are you waiting for?Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-51501168433469619592010-05-18T13:19:00.000-07:002010-05-18T19:28:06.872-07:00Chip Trips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOJWLt71TBxQG8QAvZlKTVLpEKohHEgAzubU28KK92mRCh6DYTwg7P72EO1qe-_rqA60LAK_cJb6kG_QuQsazMOM7qWWVTrDI_W8uWpzA-GtDaSmI7mCESNT-ycLXBDy9aTZKoNYBFtMs/s1600/Lays_Chip_Trips_button_large-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOJWLt71TBxQG8QAvZlKTVLpEKohHEgAzubU28KK92mRCh6DYTwg7P72EO1qe-_rqA60LAK_cJb6kG_QuQsazMOM7qWWVTrDI_W8uWpzA-GtDaSmI7mCESNT-ycLXBDy9aTZKoNYBFtMs/s320/Lays_Chip_Trips_button_large-1.png" wt="true" /></a></div>Looking for amazing and affordable family travel ideas this summer? Eat more chips. Thriftymomma is on a blog tour with Lay's Chip Trips this summer and I can hardly wait. The excellent Frito-Lay's promotion means that every time you buy a bag of Lay's chips you get a code on the side of the bag. On the top of the bag there are points. Some say 5 and some say 10. Visit <a href="http://tiny.cc/7hud0">http://tiny.cc/7hud0</a><br />
and sign up for the Lay's Chip Trips promotion and, no matter where you are in Canada, you can redeem the points for a trip or a voucher for a free kid's meal at Boston Pizza, half price off the second night of a stay at the Great Wolf Lodge and various other motels. I've already sent for a Subway $5 gift card, which cost me 30 points and I can't wait to use my points for more great trips. Mini golf, Laser tag, waterparks, museums, the CN Tower - the sky is the limit! Rewards kick in for as little as 10 points. So have fun, eat chips and see more of Canada this summer.Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-23479272376749354212010-04-12T15:15:00.000-07:002010-04-12T15:15:47.673-07:00King Tut Exhibit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=inkscrblr&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1580626416&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwFpsFqkiGFR9lHpay2Wcl8c1ZZvCrZkKqJjVSNHS8Pj3brq2IiPPatDBZlgQM81bv0Ih_bmUzc_gHN6bSkzejn1ry-OQn2M8xQH7sCoj3I7R5TaNG9Uo3ALTqHbc3IVjbpaNuJyLX7hm/s1600/march+2010+338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwFpsFqkiGFR9lHpay2Wcl8c1ZZvCrZkKqJjVSNHS8Pj3brq2IiPPatDBZlgQM81bv0Ih_bmUzc_gHN6bSkzejn1ry-OQn2M8xQH7sCoj3I7R5TaNG9Uo3ALTqHbc3IVjbpaNuJyLX7hm/s320/march+2010+338.JPG" width="320" wt="true" /></a></div>Looking for a fun way to spend a rainy April afternoon? Why not drive to Toronto and head over to the Art Gallery of Ontario to take in the King Tut exhibit. The exhibit originally slated to close this week has been extended through May 2nd, so if you missed this one due to timing you have one more chance. Trust me, it's worth it. The last time the exhibit of Tut's treasures came to town was 25 years ago. The ancient Egyptian ruler has captured collective imaginations for many years because he was so young when he ruled at only nine years old and because of the mystery surrounding his death at 19. There are over 100 treasures and artifacts from the time of Egyptian pharaohs and the boy king. Weekday admission runs about $16, less depending on age of child. The AGO is located at 317 Dundas Street West. Some tips from me include taking the time afterwards to spend a $1 at the gift shop and make your own cartouche, a translation of your name into Egyptian heirogylphics. While in Mexico earlier this year, we were offered the chance to do this at a much higher cost, so this is a deal. No cameras allowed inside the exhibit and I wouldn't really recommend this outing too much for anyone under the age of five. My two girls loved seeing the treasures. School aged children will get a lot out of this educational trip. My nephew was in a stroller and was content to be there, but this isn't really an excellent place for toddlers. I advise purchasing the audio paddles for $5 for children. That way they are getting all the information, both visually and auditorially. The paddles cost extra but were worth it, especially for my little one who isn't the best reader yet. A portion of the audiocast is narrated by Harrison Ford. This exhibit, a once in a lifetime opportunity, is worthy of $$$$$ out of $$$$$ on the thriftymommastips' scalePaula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-81708255167338505342010-03-10T08:00:00.000-08:002010-03-10T08:00:47.795-08:00Cancun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzKp1JnsKI0ptPu4Z2tptCvGfbUxMfpDZhma6WGnyNeLM9wm6XQPA4XML2xwv7PhaogW0hwLVWGd9cMZZ7qWbIcS9JRGIScrwd-Oz6idoElfYtvt7Cv5AmwfNyo_1Y198RKE-jFKQVQ8I/s1600-h/mexico%202010%20009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzKp1JnsKI0ptPu4Z2tptCvGfbUxMfpDZhma6WGnyNeLM9wm6XQPA4XML2xwv7PhaogW0hwLVWGd9cMZZ7qWbIcS9JRGIScrwd-Oz6idoElfYtvt7Cv5AmwfNyo_1Y198RKE-jFKQVQ8I/s320/mexico%202010%20009.JPG" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The quest for affordable family fun this year led us to Cancun, Mexico and a great new resort called Great Parnassus Resort and Spa. This one stunned us with the service, staff, family activities, food and great price. Everything exceeded our expectations from start to finish. The Parnassus is a 12-storey sprawling family destination on one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The food was remarkable and the flavour very cosmospolitan. Many tourists here hailed from all over the globe and spoke a variety of languages, which was lovely exposure to numerous cultures for our children - one of whom speaks fluent French and loved exercising the language teaching the Spanish ladies French while picking up a hint of Spanish too. El Portico was a family-friendly Italian eatery. The Big Ben was British. The Samurai had some of the tastiest sushi I have ever had. The saki, served warm was a strange treat, must be an acquired taste. A Manhattan inspired theatre district restaurant and a 24-hour coffee bar that offered crepes rounded out the eateries. As well, like usual with all inclusives, there was near constant access to buffet style food - Japanese, Mexican, fresh fruit etc. - in the main building. (See photo of husband) Activities staff had non stop fun planned for kids and the children's club was top notch, at least for children who are preschool and school aged. The theatre had numerous things scheduled for every night of the week, with a superhero battle one night as a highlight, a circus show another night and movie nights as well.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtisaoB-VTVUljz0MYoRXoI4T-_bLChuHMeH1YhQzq64EMIut_1teGSSDPOPvsslHFKlaFhhA6TDKZe-bPFdjmSGA4z75EGu0ooT5s8WsFoLffekAnCixtDahCSKWSdDRerUHipN-e0EsV/s1600-h/mexico%202010%20006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtisaoB-VTVUljz0MYoRXoI4T-_bLChuHMeH1YhQzq64EMIut_1teGSSDPOPvsslHFKlaFhhA6TDKZe-bPFdjmSGA4z75EGu0ooT5s8WsFoLffekAnCixtDahCSKWSdDRerUHipN-e0EsV/s200/mexico%202010%20006.JPG" vt="true" width="150" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Our room was stunning, with two gorgeous clean double beds, decked out in a nautical theme and beyond that inside a small room that was attached were bunk beds with trundle great for families with two and even three children. This was a four a a half star rated building according to Sunquest tours, but I couldn't figure out why it wasn't five star because frankly this is the nicest place we have ever discovered and we wished at end of week we could have extended our stay. We travelled prior to March break to get the maximum bang for our dollar and discovered this amazing deal on itravel2000.com then confirmed it with our Sears travel agent whose jaw nearly hit the floor when she realized the prices were the lowest she'd ever seen for Mexico. So for those of you seeking an excellent deal for family look no further and practice this phrase: "Dos Margaritas por favor!" Total cost of entire week, flights from Toronto, food, drinks, accommodations included for $3,100 end of February for a family of four. Amazing!!! This is one of a very few places where children truly stay for free or greatly reduced rates depending on age.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4sqW8-WFI4-wu7Amhu5Y07_zxUnyUz5dKwBi1g2GV01LttjLSo4n1oNv4Jr9x-dymxlxaynwMNE-_PDbsN5EqP-WJ2FlZH789cInvGABsveDW6b8X7uItR0tN9QBBs9skHYIOFAr2Tgi/s1600-h/mexico%202010%20012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4sqW8-WFI4-wu7Amhu5Y07_zxUnyUz5dKwBi1g2GV01LttjLSo4n1oNv4Jr9x-dymxlxaynwMNE-_PDbsN5EqP-WJ2FlZH789cInvGABsveDW6b8X7uItR0tN9QBBs9skHYIOFAr2Tgi/s320/mexico%202010%20012.JPG" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Thriftymommastips rating $$$$$ out of $$$$$Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-57220572956878925722010-02-18T16:59:00.000-08:002010-02-18T17:09:45.241-08:00Itravel2000<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPhqIfZqVFt3NK3Irwpdtj97mhLfSr2Q2IqSn51tTAhWYHBhgiAN88TOc774IH46mN4ldkkFLJKoQkoY40oTvdsRMIzE9_wVqGX9_f-JL1Nl5D_AbQ91jRHix5yotiY526Hz6DFkAWEny/s1600-h/header_goldmedalDLYYZ_01.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 66px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439753453018541810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPhqIfZqVFt3NK3Irwpdtj97mhLfSr2Q2IqSn51tTAhWYHBhgiAN88TOc774IH46mN4ldkkFLJKoQkoY40oTvdsRMIzE9_wVqGX9_f-JL1Nl5D_AbQ91jRHix5yotiY526Hz6DFkAWEny/s320/header_goldmedalDLYYZ_01.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Itravel2000 has some of the best vacation deals going, with all inclusive travels right now from $347 and flights bottoming out at $58. If you aren't afraid to travel to the Dominican and you don't mind the lacklustre food of Varadero, then there are plenty of 4 star all inclusive properties left. Just don't expect to get anything for March break. Although my travel agent tells me this year Jamaica and Mexico are prime hotspots ( probably because of the excellent prices that have been consistent this winter). I know some may still be the tiniest bit leery of booking on line, but get over it already. It is in fact a no fuss thrifty way to travel. Numerous excellent deals have caught my eye of late. There are also various opportunities for children to travel, stay, play and eat free. I like to use Itravel2000 as a sort of research expedition and with their handy calendar that notes cheapest times to fly I can shop around effectively for my family. I still take the cheapest offer I find to my agent and clarify that it is what it seems, before booking. Happy shopping and don't forget to stop by Itravel2000 if you want a deal on sunny vacays.</div>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-74951145302036678442010-01-25T11:07:00.000-08:002010-01-25T11:07:33.582-08:00Delta DealsThe Deltas are running some amazing 50 % off deals on 40 Canadian hotels. These cut rate deals mean you can stay for as low as $89 a night currently at many hotspots throughout the country. The only catch is you have to book by Feb 3rd for stays up until April 4th. The very family friendly Delta Chelsea is one of several included in the deal. At this rate thriftymomma might finally have to take her family to see King Tut and stopover at the Chelsea.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxt2xNfT1QUWuA5ondPhD9QwHG50kkQdhz4GZ_mqp2V3uIONncEaasdOqUG_a7WVFPwA-XyyPppCGi_LZ5RAtxr_oPi1GAxO4hOfeOT5bNSv5FwJBRXzhy3fyoFLk7AFdaRG83nWFhfCp/s1600-h/delta%20c%20toronto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxt2xNfT1QUWuA5ondPhD9QwHG50kkQdhz4GZ_mqp2V3uIONncEaasdOqUG_a7WVFPwA-XyyPppCGi_LZ5RAtxr_oPi1GAxO4hOfeOT5bNSv5FwJBRXzhy3fyoFLk7AFdaRG83nWFhfCp/s320/delta%20c%20toronto.jpg" width="237" /></a><br />
</div>Thanks to Travel Zoo for this information. <br />
Delta Centre-Ville/Delta Montreal ... $89 <br />
<br />
- Delta Chelsea, Toronto ... $89<br />
<br />
- Delta Bow Valley, Calgary ... $89<br />
<br />
- Delta Edmonton South ... $95<br />
<br />
- Delta Halifax/Delta Barrington ... $99; +$10 in March<br />
<br />
- Delta Ottawa ... $99<br />
<br />
- Delta Sun Peaks ... $99 (February only)<br />
<br />
- Delta Victoria ... $99; +$10 in March & April<br />
<br />
- Delta Kananaskis ... $99<br />
<br />
Note: Individual property blackout dates are listed on the Delta Web site. <br />
<br />
For full details on this offer and to book directly through <br />
<br />
Delta Hotels & Resorts, click the link below, call<br />
<br />
at 1-888-573-4829. IMPORTANT: Travel Zoo advises when booking, online or by <br />
<br />
telephone make sure to use the code "TZC".Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-57873676049774860752010-01-18T11:56:00.000-08:002010-01-18T12:12:50.121-08:00London Regional Children's Museum<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXsDUvUaMKvxKJJj5PE2xUNVMKebAx0uAiJ2K3GV_pJbhyhlnJWiR1Q-6b6flH9FTemq6cEQeOi9KSmzobarv6rAnQWyG_j0fBOeQK7vEBHjbbNm8YFy67b2oT5aV30YRAAuy3a4ZGXaZ/s1600-h/skiskateheader1_2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 57px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428171371299068674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXsDUvUaMKvxKJJj5PE2xUNVMKebAx0uAiJ2K3GV_pJbhyhlnJWiR1Q-6b6flH9FTemq6cEQeOi9KSmzobarv6rAnQWyG_j0fBOeQK7vEBHjbbNm8YFy67b2oT5aV30YRAAuy3a4ZGXaZ/s320/skiskateheader1_2.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Still one of my favourite places to take the children, London Regional Children's Museum, has a new exhibit that's an homage to our coming Olympics. Starting last week and running until March 28th this exhibit lets little ones take a turn at bobsledding and skiing, skating and, well so on..So if you are looking for some relatively warm indoor fun this winter drive to our museum and test your athletic prowess. While there don't forget to visit The Street Where You Live, a replica city that's just the right size for children under 10. Jellyfish Junction, caves and Discover Dinosaurs are popular standbys too. Don't forget My Place In Space, one of the noisiest places in the building. The museum is located at 21 Wharncliffe Road South in London. Call 519-434-5726 for info.</div><div> </div>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-73475513278169056292010-01-08T10:51:00.000-08:002010-01-08T10:51:00.780-08:00Fort Rapids January Deals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsYVmM2CkR6_i3CLOQ2LWj82qMDobMmob40qO7PRd-NFgy67lQWFIpSeYoLdv7Th-ETxd-yIgfWvN9dWBtMJavQBle4w0CYdC-0mwM4vHtm0XoQDgG8z9weoiFanTZnIWjXCL2hosqddQ/s1600-h/January%2520Splashtacular%2520copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsYVmM2CkR6_i3CLOQ2LWj82qMDobMmob40qO7PRd-NFgy67lQWFIpSeYoLdv7Th-ETxd-yIgfWvN9dWBtMJavQBle4w0CYdC-0mwM4vHtm0XoQDgG8z9weoiFanTZnIWjXCL2hosqddQ/s320/January%2520Splashtacular%2520copy.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Looking for a fun winter getaway with the family, check this out. Columbus, Ohio's Fort Rapids indoor waterpark has several very cool deals this January. I've been to this water park with my family and I reviewed it back in August. (Only five and a half hours from London and a nice drive, really) It got a four out of five rating and frankly I would absolutely go back again as our whole family enjoyed this stopover in Ohio. January Splashtacular deals start at $99 a night. For this month only stay overnight at Fort Rapids and pay only $99 for the water park passes. That means you stay for free essentially. Like many stayover water park resorts you can stay one night and play at the pool and slides for two days, which makes the trip worthwhile. Also for a limited time (until Jan. 22nd) Fort Rapids is offering 20 % off birthday parties. Let me tell you I think any kids who did this for their birthday party would be the coolest kid in their class, regardless of how old they were.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayXLRAxbyX30ncSZwI3CZFocTM2zBqi-K0REdqCTMT7v17Z8oy4XoaxBOUE3SnwVlDCghjp0DA2zR8HWHAiWjE_Ef-6Y4rdxHl1ZEAbMRcylh8aj1ATfXTEMd-VZuTtvWofSAT-E3Ie1r/s1600-h/2009%20fort%20rapids%20011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayXLRAxbyX30ncSZwI3CZFocTM2zBqi-K0REdqCTMT7v17Z8oy4XoaxBOUE3SnwVlDCghjp0DA2zR8HWHAiWjE_Ef-6Y4rdxHl1ZEAbMRcylh8aj1ATfXTEMd-VZuTtvWofSAT-E3Ie1r/s320/2009%20fort%20rapids%20011.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Also this month comes Science and Splash deals that are running in partnership with COSI, Columbus, Ohio's excellent science museum for children. Love both of these places, so call now and book starting at $179 a night for this package with four passes to COSI Museum, four passes to the water park and a cheese pizza. I would think you'd want to stay for two nights to get the most out of this deal. <br />
<br />
Call 1-877-33-Splash to book and quote January Splashtacular or Science and Splash deals.<br />
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Also ABC's SuperNanny has a casting call at Fort Rapids on January 16th if you wish to be subjected to that kind of thing...from 11 to 5 p.m. They should be able to find some children and or parents behaving badly at a waterpark, huh?Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-62918482835516178812009-12-30T06:23:00.000-08:002009-12-30T06:37:42.938-08:00Funderland<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7AtARWRfsIFRvuLTUg83SO0K-udMjJ2DonTqh0drH7i9cUApdeo5f83JBKKY-v0xS7cMdpvFQIZX8tDVHrdST45udovb4ASilmC3cb8if_qD_QA3YWORj-FD44ZE6lbiOnkAh_8G6r3t/s1600-h/winterfunderland.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 130px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 108px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421036767680342242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7AtARWRfsIFRvuLTUg83SO0K-udMjJ2DonTqh0drH7i9cUApdeo5f83JBKKY-v0xS7cMdpvFQIZX8tDVHrdST45udovb4ASilmC3cb8if_qD_QA3YWORj-FD44ZE6lbiOnkAh_8G6r3t/s320/winterfunderland.jpg" /></a><br /><div>This is one you won't want to miss if you are having a winter staycation with kids and are hunting for stuff to do. Western Fair Agriplex has a Winter Funderland running this week. I plan to check this out asap with my crew. The indoor kids carnival runs until the end of this year and there is a special New Year's Eve bash. The Western Fair location is at 845 Florence Street in London and this is a limited time event. Cost for a ride all day pass is $20. Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Presumably at least one ride - the ferris wheel - is outdoors as the picture of a very chilly carnival employee is on the front page of the London Free Press today. There are over 20 games and an inflatable village. Admission only is $8 or$10 at the door. Three shows daily by DooDoo the clown. Also for a list of activities you can visit <a href="http://www.westernfair.com/">www.westernfair.com</a> or check out Western Fair on Facebook.</div><div>Free parking is available.</div>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1467941594614244982.post-37689439273891729012009-12-10T10:49:00.000-08:002009-12-10T10:49:26.049-08:00FDR and Jamaica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOFl_Lo3S-JNbzDgzjOd9NKDAUb3idpv2O794usw0PdxdY5SvbPxk2Oe25FMVF-RqLrUNB9UDpT_fXh2bXZLl-QgUtjbMzWkz8M_C5Y0sTc0wtXGsy9ul8La51Lyk7KAK-W2riF5tyPP1/s1600-h/fdr%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOFl_Lo3S-JNbzDgzjOd9NKDAUb3idpv2O794usw0PdxdY5SvbPxk2Oe25FMVF-RqLrUNB9UDpT_fXh2bXZLl-QgUtjbMzWkz8M_C5Y0sTc0wtXGsy9ul8La51Lyk7KAK-W2riF5tyPP1/s1600/fdr%201.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div>FDR Resorts are excellent family vacation destinations and while I have never yet made it there in person I can't wait until the time we are able to swing this trip. Jamaica is a fantastic family vacation destination and FDR has been recommended to me by many travel agents over the years. While some shy away from Jamaica for fear of high crime rates, it is entirely safe as long as you take some precautions. We travelled to Jamaica last year with our children and stayed near Falmouth in Starfish Trelawny. We loved the food and our family resort had more than enough actvities to keep us busy. When you go to Jamaica with kids you don't take the same chances you might when travelling as newlyweds or singles anyways, so I have always found this destination to be friendly, affordable and safe. FDR Jamaica has exclusive family friendly offers like the vacation nanny provided to every family staying on site. There have been some recent renovations to the resort. Right now FDR is running a BRING YOUR OWN GRANDPARENT (BYOG) deal which should appeal to many families. Grandparents can enjoy their dream vacation at no cost when travelling with their children and grandchildren. One Grandparent per full paying adult is free when you travel between Jan. 3rd and Feb. 11th, 2010. Also FDR Resorts is now offering US$700 fly free credit for Mom and Dad to take the time out to fly down for the Winter Break or Spring Break..Trvale between Jan. 2nd -Apr. 2nd, 2010. This offer ends Dec. 31st. At FDR Runaway Bay there is now a multifunctional bar counter so guests can surf the internet, read a book or unwind while sipping a cool drink looking over the blue Caribbean Sea. (shown at top). Free wireless access is provided. There are many organized activities for both children and adults. Weddings & Conferences can also be done here. FDR Runaway Bay is 20- 45mins. away from all major tours - Dunn's River Falls, Dolphin Cove and Horseback riding. Family Suites are large. The beach area is spacious and this property also boasts a 100' waterslide. IRIE!<br />
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</div>Paula Schuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654893690755008668noreply@blogger.com0