Maldives

This summer my family and I decided to travel somewhere we have always wanted to go. Maldives! My husband searched the web, checked reviews and we found the best deal and location with Atmosphere Kanifushi.

We flew Turkish Airlines from Washington D.C. to Istanbul. Stayed for 4 days and then flew out to Male Airport in Maldives. The resort picked us up and took us to a cool waiting area and served us drinks and snacks while we waited for the seaplane. It was a 30 minute flight to the island filled with a wonderful view of the islands below.

Here is a view of the island between docking port/pier and the main office. They had a fish feeding at 5pm which gave us the opportunity to see many different kids of fish, turtles, and sting rays.

The view was just as amazing at sunset.

We booked the Sunset Family Villa with a king size bed and 2 singles for the kids. Having the Platinum plus package meant Drinks, meals, snacks, snorkeling trips, were all included. We dined at Spice, Liquid, The Sunset, Just Veg, and Ceylon Bliss. We even had our mini fridge stocked twice a day with chocolates, soda, water, and juice. We don't drink alcohol but the resort went out of their way to make sure we had plenty of other options like snacks, tea and coffee. They also delivered fresh fruits to the room every morning.

Our room was right on the beach and we had our own personal space. They even had staff come by with drinks and snacks every few hours while we enjoyed a swim.

The island was filled with interested spots to take pictures at too. Even though it was a small island, it was about 2 km from end to end. On days where we stuffed ourselves from the buffet, we were glad they had a buggy to get us back to the room!

My favorite part was the snorkeling trips they had twice a day and included in the package. We went 3 times. Just a reminder to bring a Go Pro and your charging cables. We forgot ours in Turkey but another guest offered to let us borrow his.

Of course, we also had the couples Bali massage at the island's spa. It was an amazing experience. Our kids enjoyed the back and feet massage as well.

Truly we had an amazing time with the Atmosphere Kanifushi resort. Everyone spoke English. We loved the food, the activities, the service, and I mean everything! It is one of the few islands that is family friendly, having a day care service, and is all inclusive at an affordable rate. I hope you have the chance to visit the Maldives and let me know how you liked it!

Universal Studios in Florida

This summer we took a road trip to Universal Studios in Florida. We took a road trip from NC to FL and had June 26, 27, and 28 of 2016 to spend at Universal. Other than waiting in long lines, the trip was amazing! No matter your age, you will find something for the whole family. We were blown away with the Harry Potter experience including the rides, foods, and interactive wand tricks. My husband really enjoyed spending time at Moe's Bar and having the Simpson experience.
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Cancun, Mexico

I have always heard about how great Cancun was and expected it would be fun. But after having visited now, I can say it is the best vacation I have ever had! We stayed at Club Regina. The hotel was clean, not overcrowded and had a great breakfast buffet. The service was fantastic and the staff made you feel special. As you can tell from the view, it was perfect. The ocean water was warm every day and the pool was cool. Although the room had a safe, I never used it.
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There was no shortage of activities in Cancun either. We rented a car, which can be very expensive. I recommend using tourist bus services instead and use the time to rest! We visited Tulum, a Mayan ruin, which was about an hour drive away. I am not a very active person and found the trail to be rough when it was hot. My sugar level dropped drastically and I had to stop and devour gummy bears. Sorry no photos of the poor bears 🙂 Be prepared to see many Iguanas and lizards on the coast. My sons were amazed by the size of the Iguanas and asked if they were young dinosaurs!
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Another road trip was visiting Xcaret, an eco-archaeological park, also an hour away from the hotel. It was the highlight of the trip and made me feel like I had reached heaven. We got to snorkel through the caverns, through a bat cave and butterfly cave. The water did have fish which my sons loved seeing with their goggles. We also swam in natural pools with fish as well, had an amazing all you can eat lunch buffet, and saw many animals in the zoo. I recommend getting the pass with everything included with the snorkel gear, lunch, lockers, etc. I also recommend getting there when they open their doors otherwise you will not be able to get through most of the activities. I felt like we rushed ourselves with a 1 day pass and would have preferred to spend 2 days here.
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