Saturday, March 8, 2014

Hampton Inn & Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor




Written by Matt Rosenfeld
The Hampton Inn & Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor is located about 5 minutes by foot from the Inner Harbor of Baltimore.  It's also about a 10 minute walk to Camden Yards.  This makes it an ideal location for leaving your car at the hotel and exploring a good amount of what Baltimore has to offer.

The rates offered by the hotel are typically reasonable, but definitely be aware of the $32/night charge for valet parking.  The valet service was excellent as all staff members we interacted with were very friendly and my car was always ready for me within the time promised (typically 10 minutes).

The rooms in the hotel were your standard Hampton Inn rooms, which were very clean with comfortable beds.  The bathroom was also larger than a standard hotel room.  Each morning, a complimentary breakfast was provided, which included eggs, sausage, french toast sticks, make-your-own waffles, cereal, muffins, bagels, etc.  The wi-fi that is included free of charge has good speeds and never caused us any issues.

This was definitely a hotel we'd recommend to anyone looking to explore this section of Baltimore.

Address: 131 East Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD, 21202
Wifi: Free
Parking: $32/night - Valet Only
Restaurant: No
Bar/Lounge: No
Smoking: Non-smoking
Hidden Fees: None
Breakfast: Free
In-room safe: No

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Disney's Vero Beach Resort






Do you want a Disney themed trip without the theme parks?  Well, then Disney's Vero Beach Resort might be the perfect choice for you.  Located about 1.5 hours away from Walt Disney World on Flordia's Treasure Coast, this resort has a good amount of Disney flair to it, without it being too "over the top".

The rooms and facilities are both kept very clean.  All of the staff we interacted with (front desk, lifeguards, housekeeping and restaurant staff) were all extremely friendly and helpful.

The location is right on the beach and also has a very large pool with a great water slide (for adults and kids!) and a hot tub.  There are constantly at least 3 lifeguards on duty at all times, so this will help make parents feel better about letting their kids go into the pool without needing to constantly watch them. The pool also has a restaurant there, Bleachers, that has pretty good quality food and drinks (including alcohol) that are made fresh to order. Also, if you order a soft drink, you get 4 free refills within a 2 hour period. One thing we did note though is that some days this restaurant closes at 5 PM, which we thought was a bit early.

There are various activities offered (some with an additional cost) such as mini golf, shuffleboard, tennis, volleyball, etc.  One free activity they had nightly on the weekends was a campfire sing-along with s'mores.

The room itself (we had a studio) comes stocked with plates, bowls, cups, mugs and utensils.  It also has a microwave, mini-fridge, toaster, and a large coffeepot.  One thing to note about these rooms is that regular guests get daily housekeeping service.  However, people that book with Disney Vacation Club points only get housekeeping service for free once every 4 days (although you can pay extra for more service).  There is also a parking garage located under the villas, giving you easy access to an elevator to get your belongings from your car to your room.

Two cons we saw at the hotel was that the TV in the room is a bit small and the vending machine in our building was sold out for our entire stay.  Other than that though, this was an excellent place to get away for a long weekend and one we'd recommend to anyone looking for some Disney fun without the fatigue of the theme parks.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

2014 Philadelphia Flower Show: Articulture









The 2014 Philadelphia Flower Show opened March 1 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Phialdelphia. The show, whose theme this year is ARTiculture, is open through Sunday, March 9.

Unlike past years, where the theme has been destinations such as England, Hawaii, or Paris, this year's theme has given the designers a much broader canvas to work from and let them stretch their imaginations.

See hours for the show and purchase tickets in advance on the Flower Show's website.

National Aquarium of Baltimore




Written by Matt Rosenfeld
The biggest attraction in Baltimore's Inner Harbor is the National Aquarium.  This gigantic building gives visitors the opportunity to see ocean life from all over the world.  For any sea creature lover, this is definitely a must visit!  We did feel though that the price was a little bit high for what was offered (we thought the aquariums in Camden, NJ and Boston, MA were a better value). The way the aquarium is structured makes it difficult to go from one section to another without having to do a large amount of backtracking, especially for the animal feedings and the caretaker talks.

Additionally, due of the immense popularity of the aquarium, it can get very crowded on weekends, making it difficult to move through the exhibits and see the sea life without waiting for a while.

Our recommendation, when you walk into the aquarium, your party can either go through Blue Wonders first, or, behind you is Animal Planet Australia and Dolphin Discovery. Most people go straight to Blue Wonders, leaving Animal Planet Australia and Dolphin Discovery relatively empty, and easier to navigate if Blue Wonders is crowded.

So, while we do recommend this as an attraction when visiting Baltimore's Inner Harbor, be aware of the high price and potential crowds, and definitely check out some of the other options around the country.