Tag Archives: Travel

We’re launching a Travel Edition soon – be a contributor!

Travel, , , , ,

I’m well aware that parents are desperate to travel whenever possible.
Summer vacation, 3-day weekends, holidays.  You name, let’s leave the house and go somewhere fun!
We have to get away from the dirty laundry and dishes sometime right?

I also know that finding a family friendly hotel, lodge, or resort to stay at can be difficult without recommendations which is why I’m partnering with a few bloggers to provide our readers with real, honest, and detailed reviews of hotels, resorts, lodges, and other family friendly travel accommodations.

Sign up for our newsletter, Twitter and Facebook updates to be the first to know when we launch our new Travel Edition of The Mommy Insider.

If you are a blogger or a parent who loves to travel and would like to have your family friendly travel destination review(s) featured on our Travel Edition let me know at alicia@themommyinsider.com.

The End of Lapchild? What are your thoughts on the Lapchild?

News, Travel, ,

Budget Travel Magazine recently reported on The National Transportation Safety Board’s recommendation that all passengers, including children under the age of two, have their own seats on planes. This means infants would no longer be allowed to sit in their parents laps, and they would no longer fly for free.
Here is an excerpt from the story:

The NTSB released its official recommendation to FAA earlier this week, listing numerous occasions when airplane passenger injuries and fatalities could have been minimized by the use of restraint devices (i.e. seatbelts). Oddly enough, many of the examples listed involve passengers over the age of 2, who would not qualify as lapchildren.

What do you think?

  • For the safety of everyone, should the lapchild be banned?  Yes or no?
  • Should parents be required to buy seats for infants and toddlers, and secure them either in car seats (which often don’t fit in a cramped plane), or in an over-the-shoulder CARES restraint device (which are designed for kids weighing 22 to 44 pounds)?
  • Should the airlines be forced to make some provisions for the safety of kids, perhaps even by offering special seatbelts for tiny travelers?

View more on this story here on Budget Travel Magazine.

My thoughts on the Lapchild

I prefer to have Madelyn in a car seat when flying.  I feel like she’s safer being strapped in via a 5-point harness than on my lap.  I’m not confident that I would be able to hold on to Madelyn and keep her from flying out of my arms, hitting her head, or falling, in the case that we hit severe turbulence.. or worse.  I’d rather save up and pay for an extra airplane ticket/seat than take the risk of Madelyn not being as safe as I think she could be during a flight.

Thank you to Lisa from Budget Travel Magazine for the heads up on this story.

Things aren’t always what they seem – ask questions and do research!

New posts, Travel, ,

My 10 and 4 year old and I and my mother took off from Atlanta Sunday for a 4 day stay at a state park lodge in Kentucky through this Thursday. My son loves hiking, I love water, and my daughter loves everything so we’re all happy to be here.
Unfortunately, I’ve learned that ‘lodge’ doesn’t always mean the accommodations will be beautiful, plush, fancy, or clean. I am not a big complainer, as you know if you are a regular reader. But I’m having a really hard time keeping my mouth shut about some of the stuff I’ve seen and experienced here.. I can’t however bring myself to complain to the staff. I’m a non-confrontational person. That’s why I’m not going to say where exactly we are.. I’m not trying to bash the place but I’m pretty frustrated.

The main lodge

First, the good stuff about the lodge:

  • My 10 year old loves the hiking trails. My mother and aunt have taken him hiking both mornings so far. They went 3 miles the first day and 6 miles today where they saw waterfalls, streams, a turtle, and a crawfish.
  • The cottage bedrooms are a good size and have two double beds each.
  • The pool is nice, with a walk in entrance.. great for the little kids.
My aunt, son, and mom going out for a hike

Here are my gripes:

  • The septic tank just behind our cottage is overflowing/leaking.. there is toilet paper on the ground. Here is a photo – don’t click if you’re easily grossed out.
  • While the pool has been my favorite amenity at the lodge, the kids were a little bummed that the ‘mushroom waterfall’ in the pool doesn’t work.
  • The lobby in the lodge, where I’m working now and is the only place to sit besides the dining room, doesn’t have anything for kids to play with.
  • The couches and chairs in the cottage are made of a terrible material, some kind of vinyl or something, and are not comfortable at all. It’s like sitting on hard plastic.
  • The kitchen is tiny.. the refrigerator door hits the chairs when open.
  • While there is Internet access in the lobby of the lodge, the cottages and cabins do not have internet access at all.
  • The game room looks like the inside of an institution (all gray and white.. no color) and has a ping pong table, a foosball table, and a chess, and checkers table.. all very flimsy and cheap and you have to pay to get a ping pong ball, golf club and golf balls, and bow and arrow, at the front desk in the lobby.
  • We had to ask for more dishes and they were delivered in a black garbage bag just like the clean towels are delivered every day.
  • The swings and playground equipment do not look clean.. most of the equipment is moldy. Sad for the kids. 🙁
  • There isn’t a DVD player in the room. We’ve been too busy to need the TV on, but it would be nice to know that we could pop a fun movie in for the kids if needed.
  • There are no laundry facilities which is very strange for a place where people hike (get sweaty) and swim.
  • No garbage disposal

This experience has taught me that it is very important to ask a lot of questions and do a lot of online research before making reservations anywhere. The website for this lodge shows beautiful cottages, pool, miniature golf, archery, and the inside of the lodge look beautiful when in fact they are not extremely impressive.

This lodge has tons of potential if they would just spend a little time checking things (like leaking septic tanks) and cleaning (playground equipment).

Here are a couple of photographs of the kids having fun at the lodge.

The kids at the lodge pool
Madelyn playing with survey tape.. who knew survey tape could be so fun?

Our exciting Spring Break visits to Busch Gardens and Kennedy Space Center

New posts, Travel, , , ,

I realized today that I am still recovering from Spring Break which was last week.  I am mentally exhausted.. trying to catch up with work and life and on top of normal work and life to catch up on, my 10 year old has CRCT’s this week at school and I’m the one having nightmares.. no kidding!

We went to my home town, Orlando, for Spring Break.  While in Orlando, we visited a couple of great family destinations, Busch Gardens and Kennedy Space Center and I couldn’t have been more pleased with our visit to both places.  The kids were just amazing and they both had fun.. which as you know if you have more than one child, can be difficult to accomplish when they are far apart in age.  My kids are 10 and 3.

Our 1st big outing: Busch Gardens Tampa

Our first big outing was a visit to Busch Gardens Tampa where we spent over 10 hours.   I wish we could have gone a second day as we weren’t able to go on nearly all the rides we wanted or visit all the exhibits and shows. That’s to be expected though when you have two kids of such different ages, 10 and 3, and 4 adults with varying tastes in rides and shows. The highlight of our Busch Gardens visit was in Busch Gardens’ new Sesame Street Safari of Fun and boy.. do I wish I brought swimsuits for the kids! Both kids enjoyed Sesame Street Safari of Fun.  I wasn’t sure if Sebastian, 10 years old, would like it so much as it looks like it’s geared for a younger crowd but he LOVED it and was Madelyn’s big helper when going through the rope maze and over the tree house bridge.  We didn’t get to do many of the rides in Sesame Street Safari of Fun and could have easily spent 3 or 4 hours just in the Sesame Street Safari of Fun section of Busch Gardens so I hope we can go back soon so we can go on more Sesame Street rides.  I particularly enjoyed Snuffy’s Elephant Romp (pictures below).

Here is a bit I wrote about during our first 1/2 hour at Busch Gardens which was amazingly stress-free and yummy!

Here are a few tips for families visiting Busch Gardens Tampa:

  • Bring swimsuits for the kids (and yourself if you want to join in the water fun!)
  • Bring plenty of water and baggies of snacks
  • Bring a few grocery bags to put wet clothes in
  • Bring baby wipes and/or a wet washcloth
  • Wear sun hats and sun screen
  • Buy the meal plan for each family member – it’s worth it
  • Try to visit for two days

What’s exceptional:

  • Hand sanitizer is provided throughout the park without having to go into a restroom!
  • The landscaping is beautiful
  • Walkways are wide enough to not be crowded even with lots of strollers
  • Ride wait times were very reasonable
  • Food options are great (fajita chicken, fresh fruit, carrots, etc)
  • Strollers are accommodated throughout the park

Follow Busch Gardens on Twitter – @MyBuschGardens


Find more photos like this on Atlanta Moms

Even though I grew up in Florida I had not been to Busch Gardens Tampa and am so glad I got to go with my kids for the first time.  My kids had a blast and were absolutely wonderful there.  Neither of them got fussy or impatient which when coupled with beautiful weather, a wonderful atmosphere, and nice people, made our experience at Busch Gardens a great one that I won’t forget.

Our 2nd big outing: Kennedy Space Center – coming soon!

Introducing the arrival of the new Mutsy Transporter + a 10% off coupon code!

Age 0-1 year, Age 1-3, Featured Articles, New posts, Strollers, Travel, , ,

I am a huge fan of Mutsy strollers. I’ve been pushing Madelyn, now 3, around in a Mutsy 4Rider (read my Mutsy 4Rider review here) since she was a baby.

I just got a new Mutsy yesterday and shucks if it isn’t a rainy day today so I’m about to open and put it together in the house. I can’t wait for a sunny day.. are you crazy.. it’s a Mutsy!

Mutsy Transporter Stroller


Key features of the Mutsy Transporter stroller

interchangeability This light flexible Mutsy stroller can be used in combination with a Mutsy bassinnett, a seat cover, and different infant car seats. This buggy is characterized by its ease of operation, a height adjustable push bar and its compact volume when folded.
steering The Transporter is very flexible and maneuverable on account of 2 front swivel wheels. Using the catches above the front wheels, the swivel wheels can be locked into position. The height adjustable handlebar thrills my husband to no end because he is tall and needs the handlebar to be out further than I so he doesn’t kick the stroller every time he takes a step.
folding The Transporter can be folded quickly into a compact form. Furthermore, only minimum work is required to fold the Transporter, as you do not have to remove the seat prior to folding the frame.

More information

Netherlands-based Mutsy, recognized for its modernistic stroller designs featuring a distinctive modular, flexible system, introduces the Transporter, the company’s most affordable and lightest weight stroller to date. The new combination stroller is ideal for the cost conscious parent seeking a high quality baby transport solution.

Ideal for parents on the go, the sporty, full-size Transporter can be used in combination with a bassinet (sold separately) or Graco, Peg-Perego or Maxi-Cosi car seat (optional car seat adapters are sold separately). The bassinet and car seat adapter easily clicks onto the frame over the stroller seat, easing mom’s ability to switch between modes. Additionally, the Transporter seat can easily be completely removed for a sleek look as a pram or travel system. Two front swivel wheels offer exceptional flexibility and maneuverability. Transporter can be folded quickly into an extremely compact form with minimal effort. The four quick-release wheels are easily removable, allowing for even greater compactness and lightness when folded. The deep and padded reclining seat and large, protective hood create a comfortable and serene environment for napping or strolling on a sunny day. A foot rest provides comfort for an older child, and a convenient shopping basket is also included. Other features include height adjustable 4-position push bar and back support adjustment.

The Mutsy Transporter is available in Black, Grey, Red and Sand.

Where can I buy it? here at Amazon.com

How much is it? The recommended retail price is $399 and the optional bassinet is $150

COUPON CODE: Get 10% off any order at Mutsy.com with code minsider10.