Saturday, February 25, 2012

Mountain Top Downhill Rainforest Trek - Sint Maarten




Mountain Top Downhill Rainforest Trek in St. Maarten is a great excursion for those in good physical condition. Let me repeat that: only do this if you are in GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION.

People on this excursion are taken to the top of Pic Paradis by bus and then a very bumpy ride by truck. The hike downhill from there is much easier than the hike uphill would have been, but some of the sections of the trail are steep, rocky, or both. However, the views from the top of the hill are worth the hike back down.

The trail has two sections, the first small section ends at a road for people who signed up and decide they can't handle the hike. From here, someone from Loterie Farm will come pick you up. However, beyond that, there is no turning back.

The area that you hike through was once a rainforest that was destroyed and turned into a sugar plantation. You'll hike past a slave-built rum distillery, see lots of critters (we saw lizard-type creatures both big and small) and tropical fruits and learn about the local flora.

This is a very cool excursion. It takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to hike down the mountain, and you will get sweaty. But the views and the history you'll learn about St. Maarten, and the ride to Loterie Farm and to the top of Pic Paradis makes everything worth it.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Disney Cruise Line: Restaurants on the Disney Magic



On the Disney Magic, as with the other Disney Cruise Line ships, there are three restaurants that families enjoy through the Disney rotational dining. There is also Palo on the Disney Magic (and the other Disney ships), which is the adult-only restaurant, and does cost a little extra and definitely requires a reservation.

On the Disney Magic, the three rotation dining rooms are Animator's Palate, Lumiere's and Parrot Cay, all of which are themed in only a way Disney can.

Lumiere's has a much more subdued decor than the other two restaurants, but some of my favorite foods. If you look into the chandeliers, you can see a rose with a few petals that have fallen off, like the one in Beast's castle from Beauty and the Beast. Lumiere's is also open for breakfast or brunch every morning, if you have time for a full service, sit down breakfast. (Definitely have the Eggs Benedict - delicious!)


Parrot Cay has a rainforest theme - dark woods surround the restaurant, parrots look down from the ceiling and flora and greens surround you while you dine. We had the pleasure of eating here during Pirate's Night - the perfect setting for this swashbuckling evening!


Animator's Palate is probably everyone's favorite restaurant. The entire restaurant is black and white when you first enter. The walls are covered in drawings of some of your favorite Disney characters in small pictures and larger frames. As your dinner progresses, characters in the frames gain color slowly and by the end of dinner, the entire room is filled with color, with the help of a special guest. Definitely bring a video camera for your first night here, its quite a show!

Palo, the adult only restaurant on Disney Magic, is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your significant other or the adults in your party. Make reservations in advance online or you can make reservations when you first board the ship. Try the osso buco - it was melt in your mouth delicious. Also, when your waiter asks if you want the chocolate souffle, say yes. There is no other place on the ship where you can get this dessert, and it is warm, yummy, and delicious. You need to order it with your entree because it takes a while to cook, but do it, you'll be glad you did.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Disney Cruise Line: Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Disney Magic


A fantastic getaway, even for couples sans kiddos, is the Disney Cruise Line 7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise. With three days at sea during your cruise and three ports of call, it's a great balance of time on board to enjoy all the ship itself has to offer as well as enjoying the best of the Caribbean.

We opted for a higher end room, on the Disney Magic stateroom level 5C - a standard size room on deck 5 with a veranda. The room was tight compared to a hotel room, but we didn't spend a ton of time in the room anyway. The veranda was our favorite area of the room. Of the time we spent in the room, more than half of the time was spent out there. We had room service deliver breakfast one morning and the attendant placed the tray right out on the veranda for us.



The other beauty of this room was the split bathrooms. I could be showering and getting ready for the day while in the other bathroom, you could use the toilet, brush your teeth, do your hair, etc. while the two bathrooms were small, having the two rooms and a sink in each room made getting ready in the morning a breeze!



On 7-night cruises, there is a formal night. On the Disney Cruise Line website it says the attire for the night, "formal wear for men: tuxedo or suit; for women: gown or dress." However, the degrees of formal for the evening is as varied as the people on the cruise. We did a formal cocktail dress and shirt and tie (above). Others did full suits, some women packed ball gowns and went to the on board salon to get their hair done. There is also a semi formal night where we did a similar style and some people wore less formal attire than that.

I also want to give some space to the onboard Vista Spa. The spa area is another adults only area on the ship and on the Magic the doors near the spa lead outdoors to the Quiet Cove pool, the adults only pool. We thoroughly enjoyed the Rainforest Room, which we purchased entrance to on the days we were at sea. Sauna rooms ranging from hot to cool as well as very unique lounge chairs that heat up. This room is incredibly relaxing (so much so that people would fall asleep in those lounge chairs!). This is definitely a must-do for adults who want to relax but don't really want to spend the big bucks on massages and facials on board.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Kennedy Space Center



The Kennedy Space Center has always been a family destination to learn about the wonders of space travel. Now it's even more so. Since the NASA Shuttle Program has ended, the Kennedy Space Center has opened the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to visitors as part of a special tour.

The VAB is a massive building where the shuttles are built and repaired before launching into space. You can see this building from miles around because of its sheer size.

When we visited, the shuttle Endeavor was on display inside the VAB, waiting for alterations before it becomes a permanent fixture as part of the Kennedy Space Center display. The shuttles will be on display in Cape Canaveral, FL; at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York; and the California Science Center in Los Angeles. 

Also at the Kennedy Space Center, you can see the Rocket garden, which are rockets (all real) that were previously used by NASA. Some of which you can sit in and experience what it would be like to be an astronaut. There's an IMAX film on space exploration, visit a launch pad, and more.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tip A Few Tavern

 cheeseburger with potato salad
cheeseburger with onion rings

If we hadn't already had plans to stop here for dinner, there would have been no doubt that we would have driven right past Tip A Few Tavern and not have had another thought about the place.

With a small sign along the road and the building darker in the front compared to its neighbors, Tip A Few is definitely a hidden gem on Florida's Space Coast.

We both ordered cheeseburgers, as that is what the place is best known for. They were juicy, perfectly cooked, had the right amount of cheese on them, and served with lettuce and tomato; ketchup, steak sauce, Tabasco, and a few other sauces were available on the table, and our waitress brought me mayonnaise as well.

I ordered the potato salad as my side, which was done perfectly - I could have ordered an entire plate of just that and been happy. My lovely dining partner ordered the onion rings, which were crispy and onions were plentiful (not just breading).

There are tables for diners, or you can choose to sit at the bar, which is fully stocked with beers both commercial and a few locals, and liquors.

The restaurant is smoking friendly. We were sitting next to a couple who smoked, and near the bar, and other then when we walked directly past the couple, we didn't notice it (and I am very sensitive to cigarette smoke). The restaurant has a good ventilation system, keeps ceiling fans running and on a nice night, such as when we went, had the front door open.

The meal was incredibly satisfying and for two of us, totaled under $30. However, they are cash only, so come prepared. There is an ATM in the restaurant, just in case.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Courtyard Cocoa Beach Cape Canaveral


The Courtyard Cocoa Beach Cape Canaveral hotel is an ideal hotel for anyone looking to take a cruise from Port Canaveral and in need of a hotel the night before.  The hotel is located only 5 minutes from the port terminals, which gives you easy access to your ship.  In addition, they have "Park and Cruise" packages that will allow you to park your car there and they'll have a shuttle take you to the port. Pretty convenient!

The hotel itself has a very modern feel to it with a spacious lobby and breakfast area, which doubles as a bar at night with some food options as well.  The staff is extremely friendly and helpful.  We found the rooms to be very clean and spacious enough for our needs.  The beds were comfortable and a great way to start a trip before your cruise.  In addition, it is very close to plenty of shopping and dining.

We definitely plan on returning to this hotel for our next cruise leaving out of Port Canaveral.