Planning a family visit to Universal Studios Orlando FL soon? If not, you should! Here are 7 things you should know before you go! A special thanks to Universal Studios Orlando FL for providing my family with passes to visit both parks for a day. All opinions expressed are my own. Some pictures provided by Universal Orlando. We recently returned home from a long weekend in Orlando, Florida. I planned this Fall Trip for months and it all began because of the girls' newfound obsession with Harry Potter. I started reading The Sorcerer's Stone to them back in the Spring and since they've watched all of the movies except for Deathly Hallows 1&2... we're saving those for a couple of years. While our trip definitely revolved around the underage wizard and our visit to Harry Potter World, we had an amazing time in the … [Read more...]
Details and Luxury: What I Learned Driving the Mazda 6
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A special thanks to Mazda for hosting me during this retreat and for giving me the opportunity to drive a 2017 Mazda 6 to learn more about their brand and their cars. A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited to visit the low country of South Carolina with Mazda. When I received the invitation I was super excited by the itinerary of the trip and let me just tell you, once I was actually there, it was even better than it had sounded originally. I have to admit, Mazda isn't a brand that I knew a lot about before my visit, but thankfully, one I know a lot about now. Mazda invited influencers and car enthusiasts to Bluffton, South Carolina to not only check out this year's new Mazda fleet of cars, but to also experience the atmosphere of the South. Now I live in east Tennessee which is just about a 7 hour drive to the … [Read more...]
Dollywood Splash Country to Add New Slide – TailSpin Racer in 2017
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We just spent our last day of Summer Break at Dollywood Splash Country on Sunday. Sophia started First Grade on Monday and we wanted to get out of the house and enjoy some splashing in the sun before the school season officially started. THIS my friends is how you do Splash Country. Shady retreat with a ceiling fan, TV, personal lounge deck and chairs, and lunch delivered right to your cabana! I feel completely spoiled and don't want this last day of Summer Break to end! #Dollywood #SplashCountry #waterpark #hospitality #SouthernHospitality @dollywoodtn A photo posted by Lindsey G. (@lindseyblogs) on Aug 14, 2016 at 8:39am PDT We even rented a Riverside Retreat, which is like a personal cabana for a family, during this trip. I have to say - it was AH-mazing! In the retreat you have a 6 person dining table, television, … [Read more...]
5 Tips to Get the Best Deal on Dollywood Tickets
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Season Passes vs. Day Tickets - Are you looking for the best deal on Dollywood Tickets for your family? Here are your tips for finding the best deal for your visit to the Smoky Mountains theme park! If you're making a trip to the Smoky Mountains, you'll definitely want to include spending a few days at Dollywood in your plans. It's a theme park that consistently tops so many "Best Of..." theme park categories and if you're ever been, you know why. If you haven't, the fact that you're researching the best deal on Dollywood tickets means you're on the right track because there are so many reasons your family will love a visit to Dollywood! Getting the best deal on Dollywood tickets definitely depends on a couple of factors. Before you head to the website to buy, consider these tips first! Dollywood Tickets Prices There are 3 prices for … [Read more...]
Dollywood adds Autism Calming Room for Guests
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It's no secret that I have a love for my hometown theme park. Dollywood has consistently put itself on the map for going above and beyond for families of our area. Recently, they became the first theme park in the world to add a new resource for families... a Calming Room specially designed for children with Autism. On a normal day at Dollywood you'll see crowds of children experiencing the amazing sights, smells of the delicious food, sounds of laughter and thrilling screams near the roller coasters, and so much more. While I enjoy walking through and seeing all the sights and sounds, it honestly never occurred to me that some families have to avoid areas just like that because of over stimulation. That's the exact reason that Dollywood introduced the Calming Room for families, which is located in the Ride Accessibility … [Read more...]
That Time I Drove a 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco Off the Assembly Line
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Last month I had the amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to actually drive a brand new car off the assembly line and take it on a road trip home. I mean, really, how many people can say that they've driven a Hyundai Elantra Eco right off the line?! I'm still reeling at how amazing this experience was and I'm excited to give you a behind-the-scenes look today at just how it all happened! When I received the invitation to join Hyundai for the Elantra Eco Road Trip challenge, I was shocked that I would be traveling to Montgomery, Alabama. I was under the impression, obviously the very naive impression, that Hyundai cars were imported to the US. To find out that there was an extensive automotive plant just a few hours South of Tennessee was exciting to me and I couldn't wait to visit! The real fun twist of the trip was that we would … [Read more...]
Dolly Parton’s Lumberjack Adventure
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Dolly Parton’s Lumberjack Adventure, one of the most-anticipated new dinner attractions to come to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in recent memory, is slated to open to eager guests on Friday, May 20. Lumberjack Adventure represents a $25 million investment by Parton to create an all-new dinner theater unlike anything Pigeon Forge has seen before. “I can promise you’ve never seen another show like this in town before,” Parton said. “I’ve truly enjoyed creating this Smoky Mountain story for families to enjoy while they are here in Pigeon Forge. There are completely new experiences for guests at this show and I can’t wait to hear what they think of the finished product.” Parton serves as Executive Producer of the show and wrote the romantic song, “Something More,” which helps tell the story of this Smoky Mountain-themed adventure. During the … [Read more...]
How to Create a Quality Collection of Kids Books for FREE with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
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Since books have always been so important to me, I made sure that I had my girls had a quality collection as soon as they were born. I realize that books can get expensive, which is why I wanted to share this amazing opportunity to help you create a quality collection of books for your child... for FREE with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library! I love to read. I remember my love of reading going as far back as early elementary school, which is why I knew I wanted to instill that love for both of my girls as early as possible. In fact, I started reading to Sophia nightly as soon as we got home from the hospital. It's always been a special time for me with my girls and it played a great part in our successful nighttime routine. This Kindergartener reads bedtime stories to us now. I'm completely amazed at how much Sophia has … [Read more...]
Step2 Tour of the Toy Factory
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If you follow me on instagram and Twitter, you'll know that I've been away from home a few times this past month. A few weeks ago I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Step2 Headquarters for the 3rd time as a Step2 Ambassador. You might think that you could see everything there is to see in 2 visits, but alas I saw, learned, and enjoyed even my 3rd adventure as much as the first two! It's always a great time to get together with my fellow bloggers, who after years of working together have turned into friends. It's also so much fun getting to see another part of the country that I otherwise might not have the chance to visit. And if I didn't mention the fact that the Step2 company makes us feel like very important people by treating us to a luxurious visit to Spa Walden, I'd be leaving out a favorite part of my trip. But with … [Read more...]
16 Things You Didn’t Know About Dollywood
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This post about things you didn't know about Dollywood was inspired by my recent behind the scenes hosted trip to the Friendliest Theme Park in America. All opinions are my own. I like to call myself a Dollywood Expert, at least as far as a visitor is concerned. I've been going to the theme park since I was a toddler and by going to the park, I mean more years than not I've been a Season Pass Holder and visited dozens of times every year. I've experienced the park as a child, teenager, married couple, and now as a Mom. Over the last 30 years I've learned a lot about my favorite theme park, but as it turns out - there are some things about Dollywood that even I learned on my recent Behind-the-Scenes tour. So I thought it would be a fun way to share with you some things that you could learn about the park, whether you're a Gold Super … [Read more...]
Florida Travel Tips for Families
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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Visit Gulf County for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. Who wouldn't love a trip a Florida? It's warm, sunny, and a great place for the entire family. However, before you jump in the car and set off, there's some tips you need to consider. Whether it's researching different Florida destinations or making sure the trip goes smoothly, these are Florida travel tips all families can use. Research Different Destinations When researching destinations you want to consider the ages of your family members. This will help you pick a destination that makes everyone happy. While doing your research, read reviews of the activities in the area and make notes. This will help you keep track and choose the best destination. I was recently introduced to an area of Florida that I haven’t had … [Read more...]
6 Reasons Why A Visit to Dollywood Should Be Your Next Family Vacation
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I received complimentary Dollywood tickets for my recent visit. All opinions are my own and I've ALWAYS believed that Dollywood should be considered as the best Family Vacation spot! Last month, my family and I had the amazing opportunity to visit Dollywood and stay at the new Dollywood's DreamMore Resort for a mini family vacation during my daughter's Fall Break. I wrote a blog post all about our experience in the amazing resort and today I can't wait to share with you the many reasons of why I absolutely love visiting Dollywood and why I think the Southern treasure should be at the top of your Family Vacation spots! Family Friendly Budget Let's face it - budget is probably one of the top considerations when you're planning a family vacation and rightfully so. Of course, we would all love to go on extravagant vacations every … [Read more...]