All About Maine

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All About Maine

Maine!!!!

A special state for us. Both my husband and I visited Maine each summer as little ones. We each must have liked it, because we’re still coming back now with our little ones.

And with our older daughter just finishing up her first summer at a Maine sleep away camp and our younger daughter likely to follow in her footsteps soon enough, Maine is going to be as big a part of our future as it’s been in our past.

So instead of continuing to do annual stand alone update posts for each Maine visit (which would probably turn the Travel Adventures section of this blog into Maine-A-Palozza), I’ve created this new All About Maine landing page. It includes jump off links to my Maine info separated into town specific pages, which will be updated the more we explore the state.

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Monkeying Around at the Andaz Costa Rica

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Monkeying Around at the Andaz Costa Rica

Costa Rica is such a beautiful, safe and easy to access country. Visitors flock there to experience its lush greenery, volcanoes and wildlife, and to partake in adventures like zip lines, natural hot springs and ATV tours.

Years ago, my husband and I visited Arenal and Manuel Antonio and took part in the typical Costa Rican adventures. On this recent family trip back to CR, we had one objective in mind: to relax in a jungle.

The living is easy and beautiful at the Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica. It’s a perfect warm weather escape for a family.

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A Long Weekend in Ulster County (Visit Woodstock and Kingston)

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A Long Weekend in Ulster County (Visit Woodstock and Kingston)

The day after Christmas this year, we left for a two night trip to the Catskills, NY. Woodstock was our home base, but during our stay, we bopped around a few of the neighboring towns, including a great second visit to Kingston - which is fast becoming one of my favorite Hudson Valley towns. Read on for some trip highlights. The whole thing is less than 2 hours from home - an easy weekend trip. 

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Quick Summer 2019 Maine Update

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Quick Summer 2019 Maine Update

Last year I wrote a long post about our annual summer visit to southern Maine. And I mentioned then that Maine has been a long-time special state to both my husband and me. Getting to share our mutual love of Maine with our girls now is a real treat. While we didn’t veer far off the course this time, next summer we’ve vowed to take on new and more northern parts of Maine.

For now, here’s a quick little supplement to last year’s post to shout out some of the spots we visited for the first time this year in the Portland and Ogunquit areas.

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Mexico City is Close, Cool, Contemporary and AWESOME

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Mexico City is Close, Cool, Contemporary and AWESOME

You’ve probably been to Cancun. Maybe you’ve even been to Tulum. But Mexico City is where all the action is. From killer street tacos to fine dining and fancy craft cocktail bars. From anthropology to contemporary art. From Aztec history and centuries old markets to hipster coffee bars. CDMX is a humongous city overflowing with culture, deliciousness and hipness. We had such a blast celebrating our anniversary there. Get a sitter (you DO want to hit those cocktail bars, don’t you?) and GO to Mexico City.

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We Went to Maui!

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We Went to Maui!

Hawaii is quite far from the east coast, so you don’t often hear about east coasters visiting outside of a honeymoon. But I turned 40 this year and YOLO - so we took the kids and did it. I’m so very glad we did. Hawaii is pure magic and is NOT “just like the Caribbean but farther.”

If you are looking for relaxation, world class resorts, slow paced island living and gorgeous beaches, with some breathtaking vistas, lush vegetation and volcanic craters thrown in, then Maui is your spot.

Maui was the second island we visited on our trip. After five nights in Oahu, we took a quick 30 minute flight over to Maui- piece of cake. To read about our time in Oahu, check Part One.

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We Went to Oahu!

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We Went to Oahu!

Hawaii is quite far from the east coast, so you don’t often hear about east coasters visiting outside of a honeymoon. But I turned 40 this year and YOLO - so we took the kids and did it. I’m so very glad we did. Hawaii is pure magic and is NOT “just like the Caribbean but farther.”

Some folks will tell you to skip Oahu - that it’s crowded and urban and not as pretty as the other islands. Ignore those people. In Oahu, you get Honolulu, a crazy fun and exciting city, and its infamous Waikiki Beach neighborhood, you get beaches and lush greenery that will take your breath away and you even get a surfer culture nothing like you’ve ever seen before, at least on the east coast.

Read on for all that we loved and did in Oahu. And then check Part Two detailing our time in Maui.

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A Night at Kalahari in the Poconos!

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A Night at Kalahari in the Poconos!

Last weekend we made our first visit to Kalahari Resorts in the Poconos. Previously knowing nothing about the world of indoor water parks, I am happy to report that I came back as a fan. You only need or want one night at Kalahari. And if you go with a low key attitude and with your kids’ interests at heart (and my below tips in mind), I promise you, that one night at Kalahari will actually be a lot of fun.

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Off the Slopes in Stratton

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Off the Slopes in Stratton

I don’t ski but I’ve been to Stratton Mountain the past few winters as the guests of friends who have a ski house there. The area in winter is very much ski-centric and I wouldn’t recommend a visit if no one in your group skies - it’s cold and it’s not incredibly built up outside the ski mountain area. But having been a few times now, I’ve learned some solid things to do off the slopes while the skiers in my group ski.

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Hershey for the Holidays

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Hershey for the Holidays

Fun Fact! I’ve been to Hershey, PA about 20 times in my life yet I know very little about Hersheypark. Why? Because all but just one of my visits to Hershey have occurred in the month of December and Pennsylvania isn’t usually hot and humid in December.

Cool temps notwithstanding, Hershey puts on quite a show during the holiday season and it’s a cute little place to celebrate (and in my family’s case) extend the holiday spirit for a few more days.

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Maine: It’s Closer and Better Than You Think

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Maine: It’s Closer and Better Than You Think

Ahh Maine. A special state for us. Both my  husband and I visited Maine each summer as little ones. We each must have liked it, because we’re still coming back now with our little ones.

Our trips always center around Ogunquit, an adorable seaside town in Southern Maine, not too far from the New Hampshire border. At approximately 4 hours from our house, it’s a very easy summer getaway. Read on for more details about our 2018 Maine adventure.

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Get to NoFo to Avoid Major FoMo

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Get to NoFo to Avoid Major FoMo

It might have been worth the drive alone to show my Connecticut born husband, kids and friends that Long Island is more than just strip malls and department stores. But, as it turned out, a long summer weekend on the North Fork of LI is magical. A few nights in and we were looking at real estate listings and hatching a plan to buy a second home in Southold.....one day. I came back to CT proud of my home island and nostalgic for my days as a Long Islander.

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